Image: Fotografiska Tallinn
The exhibition ran from 14 March to 4 October 2026, with a closing artist tour featuring Inta Ruka listed for 29 September. Ruka’s photographs carry a rare sense of warmth, intimacy and sincerity, drawing viewers into the lives, places and stories presented in the exhibition.
Between 1983 and 2008, Ruka photographed people in her native Latvia, capturing their lives in rooms, courtyards and streets where everyday life unfolds; she returned repeatedly to the same individuals, allowing trust to develop over time. She began photographing without formal training and worked slowly with a classic Rolleiflex on a tripod, using available light as her only aid.
The series ‘Amālijas iela 5a’ follows the residents of a Riga apartment building between 2004 and 2008, depicting around one hundred people from different generations, including Latvians and Russians living at the same address. Ruka became more a friend than an observer to the residents, combining intimate portraits with small events and fleeting moments that create a picture of a home as it was lived.
The images capture homes and living environments without electricity, a way of life that was already disappearing, and memories of a complex history alongside pride, dignity and everyday resilience. With this series, Ruka represented Latvia at the 1999 Venice Biennale.
‘Places Called Home’ premiered at Fotografiska Tallinn and was curated by Jessica Jarl, Global Director of Exhibitions at Fotografiska, and Maarja Loorents, Head of Exhibitions at Fotografiska Tallinn.
