The opening of the exhibition: "The Rape of Europe" took place at the Eskilstuna Museum of Art, May 16. Paintings by the artists Ieva Iltnere, Sandra Krastina and Ritums Ivanovs are on display, as well as the film: "The Magic Flute" by Ilmars Blumbergs. The exhibition was a result of cooperation between the Embassy of Latvia in Sweden, the Eskilstuna Museum of Art and the art gallery "Rigas galerija".

At the opening ceremony speeches were given by the director of the Eskilstuna Museum of Art, Mr. Kenneth Åström and the Ambassador of Latvia in Sweden, Mr. Artis Bertulis. The artists exhibited presented their works and the creative process behind them to around one hundred guests, among them well-known Swedish artists, cultural workers and Latvians residing in Sweden.

The culture pages of the May 15 edition of the local newspaper Eskilstuna-Kurirena published an article giving a wide coverage of the exhibition and the artists represented with illustrations of their work. The artists were also interviewed by Swedish television.

The Embassy of Latvia in Sweden would like to thank Ms. Inese Rinke,the curator of "Rigas galerija", Ms. Diana Engstedt Krumina, art historian, the Eskilstuna Museum of Art and the Culture Capital Fund in Latvia for their efforts in bringing about this exhibition.