The artworks from the corporate art collection of "BTA Baltic Insurance Company" (BTA) have been selected for the international art exhibition "Unknown Familiars," which will open on May 7th at the prestigious Leopold Museum in Vienna, organized in honor of the 200th anniversary of Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein, the main shareholder of Vienna Insurance Group. Two artworks from the BTA ART collection will be featured at the Leopold Museum as part of Vienna Insurance Group's corporate art collections.

BTA Art Collection, established in 2018 in collaboration with the Kim? Contemporary Art Centre, showcases over 30 emerging and mid-career artists from the Baltics, including some of Latvia's most recognized contemporary talents. Reflecting BTA's values, the collection weaves a poetic narrative around society, nature, and technology. The creation of this collection wasn't just about enhancing the workplace environment. It is also an invaluable contribution to the contemporary art scene in the Baltic region.

BTA board member Evija Matveja expresses immense satisfaction with the collection's achievements: "We take great pride in the BTA ART collection, which embodies the tradition within the Vienna Insurance Group of collecting and supporting contemporary art. It has been nurtured and expanded over the years, reflecting our evolution. It serves as a symbol of our company's values and our commitment to culture and society. Moreover, the presence of BTA ART pieces in our offices allows employees and clients to experience and appreciate the diversity of art, fostering creativity and intellectual growth."

Kim? Contemporary Art Centre curated the BTA ART collection, shaping its concept and content. The collection features works by young Baltic artists, thematically aligned with BTA's values of accessibility, humanity, and reliability.

"We are extremely delighted and proud that this corporate collection from the Baltic region is gaining international attention," says Zane Čulkstēna, founder of Kim? Contemporary Art Centre. "Kim?'s mission is to connect emerging artists with collectors while educating people about contemporary art and encouraging the collecting of art. I hope this will inspire other companies to follow BTA's example!"

Corporate collections are becoming increasingly prevalent in both office spaces and public areas, as they create environments conducive to creativity, positively impacting those present. An art collection is an effective means of reflecting a company's values, conveying a visual message that everyone can interpret in their way. According to the latest World Health Organization research, the presence of art significantly improves well-being and mental health.

Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein, the main shareholder of Vienna Insurance Group is organizing an art exhibition to commemorate its 200th anniversary. The exhibition "Unknown Familiars" will feature artworks from the art collections of six Vienna Insurance Group companies, including BTA. The art collections within the group have been evolving since the early 20th century, supporting artists and collecting artworks from various countries. Reflecting the diverse stages of the collection's development and its content, "Unknown Familiars" will showcase a wide range of themes and media while establishing a sense of belonging to a single collection.

From the BTA ART collection, visitors will have the opportunity to see Estonian artist Kris Lemsalu's work "Phantom Camp VIII" and Lithuanian artist Elena Narbutaite's series "Roberts," consisting of 11 individual paintings.

The exhibition will be open at the Leopold Museum in Vienna from May 8th to October 6th.

About BTA
"BTA Baltic Insurance Company" is one of the leading insurance companies in the Baltics, offering the widest range of life insurance services in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. BTA employs over 1,000 people in the Baltic region. The shareholder of BTA is Vienna Insurance Group AG (VIG), the leading insurance group in the entire Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. More than 50 insurance companies and pension funds in 30 countries form a Group with a long-standing tradition, strong brands and close customer relations. Around 29,000 employees in the VIG take care of the day-to-day needs of around 32 million customers. VIG shares have been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1994, on the Prague Stock Exchange since 2008 and on the Budapest Stock Exchange since 2022. The VIG Group has an A+ rating with stable outlook by the internationally recognised rating agency Standard & Poor’s. VIG cooperates closely with the Erste Group, the largest retail bank in Central and Eastern Europe.

Additional information:
Elīna Zvejniece
Director of Marketing and Public Relations Department
BTA Baltic Insurance Company
Email: elina.zvejniece@bta.lv
Phone: 66936074, Mobile: 29374827

About Kim? Contemporary Art Centre
Kim? is an art centre devoted to ideas, gestures, textures and interventions. Founded in 2009, Kim? has actively contributed to the art discourse both in Latvia and on a global scale with extensive exhibition programming, as well as international collaborations, discussions, publications, talks and performances. Over the years, Kim? has worked with both emerging and renowned artists, theoreticians, curators, philosophers, translators and thinkers of other spheres, aiming to provide a responsive context to their work and to make critical practices accessible to a wider audience. With over 200 exhibitions under its belt, Kim? continues to probe, to question, and to show.
Additional information:

Dārta Purvlīce
Gallery manager
Association “KIM?”
Email: darta.purvlice@kim.lv