The exhibition “From Arcadia to Mars” explores Riga’s city parks through the lens of Latvia’s social movements, tracing their evolution from the 19th century to the present day. It examines how these green spaces have been shaped by both dominant powers and grassroots activism, revealing parks as sites of political expression, cultural identity, and collective memory.

The exhibition also goes through historical moments from the 20th century — the years of Independence and nation-building, as well as Soviet and early post-Soviet periods — when trees, parks, and nature became powerful symbols in shaping national identity.

The design takes an encouraging and curious tone, inviting visitors to slowly uncover the many layers of the city’s park history. Archival blueprints and original park plans offer glimpses into shifting aesthetic values and urban ideals, while several rediscovered park installations, once forgotten or abandoned, bring the past into the present in tactile form.

The design was created for the National Library of Latvia’s show “From Arcadia to Mars” in collaboration with Anda Boluža, with illustrations by Lote Vilma Vītiņa.