Džemma Lija Skulme

Latvian painter, graphic artist, political activist. Born in the family of painter Oto Skulme (1889–1967) and sculptress Marta Liepi?a (1890–1962) in the city of Riga in the independent Republic of Latvia (1925). Studied painting at the Latvijas M?kslas akad?mija in Riga (1945–49) and as a post-graduate student of Victor Oreshnikov at the Ilya Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in Leningrad (1952–55). Member of the Union of Artists (1956). People’s Artist of Latvia (1976). Married actor Art?rs Dimiters (1947–53) and artist Oj?rs ?bols (1953–83). Winner of the State Prize of the USSR (1984). Founding member of the Popular Front of Latvia (1988), elected to the Congress of People’s Deputies of the Soviet Union (1989). Awarded the Order of the Three Stars (1995) and the Cabinet of Ministers Award (2009). Contributed to exhibitions (from 1949), including Times of Change: Art in the Soviet Union (1960–85) at the Russian Museum in St Petersburg (2006) and one-woman shows in Riga (1968, 1985, 1992, 1994, 1995), Moscow (1969, 1984), Geneva (1971), Milan (1971), Vilnius (1976), Fredrikstad (1994, 1995), C?sis (1996) and Kiev (1997).