Russian imperial architects who built the huge arsenal to store weapons inside Dinaburg Fortress would have been surprised to hear that their creation was destined to become an art gallery named after a local Jew who fled to America. Opened in 2011, the ultramodern centre is a new heavyweight on the Latvian art scene, hosting numerous contemporary exhibitions, as well as a team of resident artists.
The 1st floor is dedicated to Daugavpils native Mark Rothko, whose surrealist and abstract works led him to stardom in America, where he emigrated, aged 10. An interactive multimedia exhibition recapping Rothko's biography and explaining the historical context of his childhood years is followed by a small display of Rothko's original works representing 'multiform', the series that he created in the later period of his life. The 2nd floor hosts exhibitions of contemporary Latvian artists.
