“Zodiac” it is the title of the Andrejs Ameļkovičs’ solo exhibition at the Gallery Daugava. The exhibition runs through March 5. His previous solo exhibition “Girls” was quite a while ago, in 2006. A five year long intermission is notable, more so that the artist used to invite us to his solo exhibitions nearly every year. This reason alone could rouse great interest. So what is new and what has changed? Andrejs Ameļkovičs still is an assistant professor at the Art Academy of Latvia; he goes on painting, drawing and seeing girls everywhere. Let us recall the decorated fir tree and the woman’s contour in it or the tower of St. Peter’s church metamorphosing into a lady. Even the trees are female; their leaves have faces of girls with oriental eyes and scarlet square lips. Just like his sensuous and erotic angels in the snow, meadow or by the river. Angels have not left his paintings for several years. He is playing with fire, forgetting that clipping an angel’s wings may force her to choose a broom instead. Woman indeed has always been the source of inspiration for an artist, ranging from an angel to a witch and yet being a woman. Andrejs is looking for Beauty and Intelligence, which corresponds to his ideal. This exhibition presents twelve girls, twelve characters, each of them accordant to its sign of the zodiac. They seem to be the findings both in women and in painting of those years of silence. The visitors may find his infatuation with aboriginal painting very attracting. So it is Andrejs Ameļkovičs and his twelve ladies – twelve months, twelve signs of the zodiac. The artist himself celebrates his birthday on June 10, in the period of Gemini. It may be worth exploring his own horoscope before diving into the colourful, mysterious and alluring world he has created.