This site explores the art and life of Latvian author and artist, Erna Ķikure (1906-2003).

…Erna Ķikure’s philosophy embodies a conviction that anything of importance in any eternal sense has to be re-discovered, re-created, re-presented through diligent, sensuous (with all the senses active and alive) observation of the present, ever changing and ever the same… Inese Birstins.

Erna Ķikure’s Latvian poems and writings, her artworks, such as etchings and drawings, are shared here. This comprehensive site features, amongst other things, her correspondence with prominent authors, her published books, videos, critical essays on her work, as well as the personal account of 40+ years of her life in her diary (illustrated, not previously published).

The content of this site is intended to be shared amongst readers and researchers in celebration of this highly-acclaimed 20th century Latvian artist and writer, Erna Ķikure. A permanent archive of Erna Ķikure’s works and artifacts forms part of the permanent collection of the Regional History and Art Museum, in Madona, Latvia.

Only parts of this site are available in English. Some of Erna’s texts were translated by Dzidra Mitchell, some were roughly translated by Inese Birstins with the help of online translation applications. A few pieces were written in English by Erna herself, and have had minor corrections done to ensure comprehension. None of these has been published.

One of Erna’s friends corresponded with her in English. Correspondence online between Inese, Dzidra and others is in English. A few informational and critical texts were published in English. Here are brief biographical notes from the introduction to her book Artava:

Erna Ķikure (née Bērziņa, married Dzelme) was born on 4. October 1906, in Ļaudona district in Latvia. She grew up on the family property “Ķikuri” on the Aiviekste River. She went to Rīga to study at the Latvian Academy of Fine Art and graduated in 1932 with a Graphic Arts degree in drawing and printmaking. At the same time she was continuing her studies in piano at the Public Conservatory of Music. She then taught art at the Ilūkste High School and travelled in Finland, France and Belgium, where she furthered her own research at the Academy of Art in Antwerp. Her work of that time is represented in public collections in the Latvian cities of Rīga, Daugavpils, Madona and Tukums, as well as in the Malmo Museum in Sweden.

World War II brought displacement to Germany. From there Ķikure and her family emigrated to Australia. It was there that her writing was first published in the Latvian-language press. Written expression, until then a private pursuit, gradually became her major creative focus and outlet.
Erna Ķikure, now widowed, lives alternately with each of her two daughters: Dzidra Mitchell in Sydney, Australia, and Inese Birstiņš in Montréal, Canada. [This was published in 1988. Erna died January 1, 2003 in Calgary, where she lived with Inese from mid-September, 1989.]

Notes
Dzidra Mitchell completed her studies at the Australian National Art School in Sydney and Newcastle between 1964 and 1967. She lived and worked in London, England, from 1970 to 1976, and is now based in Sydney, Australia. Her work has been exhibited since 1967 and is to be found in collections in Australia, England, New Zealand and North America. The works included here were selected by the artist and the author. They accompany, but do not illustrate, the text.

ARTAVA n.f. an archaic word, meaning: tax, levy; repayment (usually in kind, and according to one’s means) for something received – to the landlord, the clergy, the teacher, etc.

WORKS BY ERNA ĶIKURE
Published books:
Mūsu Kaimiņš (Our Neighbour), prose, 1962, Australia
Ķikures un Sarmas vēstules (Letters of Ķikure and Sarma), prose, letters, 1980, USA
Dienas un gadi (Days and Years), poems, 1985, Australia
Artava (Repayment), poems, 1988, Canada
Kā plūsti Aiviekste? (How are you, Aiviekste?), prose, 1989, Canada
Ceļa akmeņu raksts (Pattern of Stones en Route), prose and poems, 1990, Canada
Uz tilta (On the Bridge), prose, 1990, Canada
Ķikures un Sarmas vēstules, 1958-1962 (Letters of Ķikure and Sarma, 1958-1962), 1991, Canada
Tu prasi patiesu stāstu (You want a true story), prose, 1991, Canada
Būs Skaista Diena (It will be a Nice Day), prose, 1993, Canada
10 no Ķikures (10 by Ķikure), poems, limited edition, 1995, Canada
Mājas un Ceļi (Home and en Route), prose selections, 1996, USA
Es zemes tās (I am of That Land), prose and poems, 2006, Latvia
Work included in anthologies:
Dzejas un Sejas (Latvian poetry), 1962, USA.
Prozas Profili (Latvian prose), 1964, USA.
Poems and short stories published in papers and journals:
Austrālijas Latvietis (Latvian newspaper), in Australia, 1960-1990.
Latvian literary journals: Ceļa Zīmes, in England, Jaunā Gaita, in Canada, Treji Vārti in USA, Literatūra un Māksla, in Latvia, and others, 1970-1998.
Public reading of work:
Poems and prose read in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Australia, at Latvian Writers’ conferences and other social gatherings, including two special Ķikure’s evenings, 1960-1990
At Kalamazoo University, Michigan, Latvian Writers’ Week, 1987.
At Los Angeles University, California, Latvian Writers’ Week, 1989.

BIOGRAPHICAL information
Autobiography
    A letter to Inese
    Inese, Dzidra & Alvīne
    Leaving Latvia
    Atgriešanās mājās (Returning Home) 
         Art exhibition and catalogue
    My life 
    Documents
Family
    J. Dzelme proposal
    Sister Austra's story
    Gunta's story
    Dzidra's report
    Inese's report 
Other
    Public biographical texts

DIARY
Excerpts
Travel in Europe May-July 1969

LETTERS
     Literary
Family
    Dzidra 1959-84; 1994-99
    Inese 1960-69; Notes on Russia; 1970-79; 1980-92; 1993-99  
    Final saga: Dzidra & Inese 
           2000-01; 
           Mayfair emails 2001-02; 
           2002-03
Friends
    Colleen Peterson
    Other

TEXTS
Poetry
    In Books Part I; Part II
    Other
Prose
    From Mūsu kaimiņš (Our Neighbour)
    From Ceļa akmeņu raksts (Pattern of Stones en Route)
    From Tu prasi patiesu stāstu (You Want a True Story)
    Other Texts and fragments
Correspondence
    From Ķikures un Sarmas vēstules (Letters of Kikure and Sarma)   
    Janis Sarma, renowned, Latvian writer, Erna's mentor.
    Volume I: 1954; 1955; 1956A; 1956B; 1957; 1958
    Volume II: 1959-1961; 1962
Critical 
    "Artava" book essays 
    Publications
    Personal notes & quotations

ART 
    Art gallery