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Carmel has been recognized for outstanding commitment to global friendship, cultural exchange, and international collaboration. One of the reasons behind this is the inclusion of artists from the Sister Cities in the Carmel International Arts Festival (CIAF) coming up Sept. 27 and 28.
The international artists who are part of the festival are also honored to be included. One such artist is Raitis Junkers, a contemporary artist known for his innovative approach to visual art. He often explores themes of identity, culture and the human experience in his work while he utilizes a variety of mediums, including painting, sculpture, and installation art.
Junkers’ art has been exhibited in numerous galleries and art festivals across Europe and is influenced by both traditional and modern artistic movements, blending styles in unique ways. He actively engages with the community through workshops and collaborative projects, which makes him the perfect person to participate in CIAF, where visitors are invited to interact with the artists in the two-day exhibition.
“Thank you for the great opportunity at the Carmel International Art Festival! I feel very honored!” Junkers said. “I have already sent the artwork to Carmel, including five oil paintings about Latvia – Jelgava and five oil paintings about Carmel. I also will have four pastel paintings and eight graphics.”
In addition to showing art from Junkers and other Sister City artists including Ms. Sayuri Kyotani with modern calligraphy from Japan and Ms. Akiyo Tanaka with painting, also from Japan, there will be a Japanese exhibit featuring Carmel’s Sister City: Kawachinagano, Osaka, Japan; a Latvian Exhibit with Sister City: Jelgava, Latvia, an Italian Exhibit with Carmel’s Sister City: Cortona, Italy; a German Exhibit with Sister City Seiffen, Germany; French Sister City: Rueil-Malmaison, and an Indian Exhibit featuring Sister City: Visakhapatnam, India.
There will also be several Cultural Exhibits which will include participation from the following: Turkish Society, the Greek Society, Vlad the Impaler “Dracula” The Romanian Society from Indiana, the Indiana Association of Chinese-Americans (IACA), the Ukrainian Society of Indiana, the Indianapolis Chinese Community Center, Inc. (ICCCI), the Burmese American Community Institute, and the Multicultural School of Indiana.
In addition to fostering strong international connections, the sister city relationships play a crucial role in enhancing community engagement. These partnerships cultivate economic opportunities, facilitate enriching student exchanges and drive academic collaborations between the cities involved. For the festival, the partnerships encourage valuable knowledge sharing.
CIAF began in 1997. It includes 100 to 140 professional artists working in nine media: jewelry, paint, 3D, 2D, wood, ceramics, glass, fiber, and photography. Approximately 33 percent of the artists come from Indiana, with the other artists coming from the other 49 states and several other countries. Many of the artists choose to return each year.
The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27 and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 28. You can learn more about the festival at CarmelArtsFestival.org.