We are delighted to announce the selected artists for Riga’s Urban ReLeaf Pop-Up Community and Culture Lab. Following an open call earlier this year, philosopher and curator Igors Gubenko and renowned Latvian street artist Dainis Rudens were selected to lead the development of a large-scale climate mural in the city centre.
Their artwork, Riga Atlantis, is beginning to take shape in the pedestrian underpass connecting Riga Central Station and Central Market. Inspired by the city’s canal ecosystem, local stories, and Urban ReLeaf climate data, the mural will transform the space into an immersive underwater world that invites people to reflect on the relationship between urban life, nature, and climate resilience. Those involved in painting the mural are street artists Dainis Rudens (Rudens stencil), Renārs Caune, Pinka, Kosti, Bikti and Uman Art.
The concept was developed through extensive community engagement and research, including interviews with local residents, commuters, market traders, and experts. The findings revealed that many people do not fully recognise the important role the Riga City Canal plays in supporting biodiversity, cooling the urban environment, improving air quality, and enhancing wellbeing in the city.
The mural is centred on water as a symbol of interconnectedness, reflecting the idea that water connects all living beings. This concept draws on the work of Astrida Neimanis, an internationally recognised cultural theorist of Latvian origin, who emphasises water as a shared medium of life and relations. As Neimanis writes, “We are all bodies of water. How we treat water is how we treat everyone, including ourselves.”
The mural also reflects a broader theme – how cities adapt to climate change and how people relate to their environment. The impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly visible in urban areas, from heatwaves and air pollution to extreme weather events, highlighting the need for more resilient city environments. Green spaces, trees, and water features not only help mitigate these impacts but also improve quality of life and restore people’s connection to nature.
Environmental data gathered through the Urban ReLeaf project plays an important role in shaping this narrative. Volunteers in Riga continue to collect temperature and humidity data across the city, helping to better understand the urban heat island effect and microclimate variations between different areas. These observations highlight the critical importance of shade, vegetation, and proximity to water in maintaining thermal comfort, particularly as climate pressures intensify.
In addition, a network of air quality sensors installed across the city allows residents to monitor PM2.5 pollution levels online. This integration of data and storytelling enables the mural to translate scientific insights into a visual and emotionally engaging experience.
Dainis Rudens is one of Latvia’s leading street artists, known for creating impactful public artworks that encourage dialogue and community participation. He is joined by Igors Gubenko – a philosopher and curator whose work explores how art can create dialogue between people, place, and the urban environment.
The mural is being realised with the support of the Riga City Municipality Education, Culture and Sports Department, whose practical and financial contribution has been instrumental in enabling the project and its engagement activities.
We would like to thank everyone who submitted proposals for the open call. We look forward to sharing updates as the mural progresses and welcoming the public to a celebratory opening event once Riga Atlantis is complete.