We invite you to visit the exhibition of students’ works of LMA POST department “Used sources” at PAiR artists’ residence at 11 Ernesta Shneiders Square, Pavilosta.

This spring, as part of the Dolomiti Contemporanee residency and under the guidance of artists Nicola Lorini and Kristaps Ancānas, POST went on a research trip to the Dolomite Alps in Italy with the aim of exploring the places and narratives found in these mountains – among them an abandoned modernist recreation village built by an energy company and a 1956 Venue of the Olympic Games. Ideas related to utopia and the spaces that embody them were explored.

Discoveries from these locations are transferred to a new context – in Pāvilosta and PAiR, where POST together with Nicola Lorini spent time transferring the experience in the Dolomites, as well as getting to know the local area, its geography and community.

The following are participating in the exhibition: 

Laura Aizporiete

Krišjānis Beļavskis

Katrīna Laura Biksone

Kristers Krūms

Lauma Muižarāja

Dena Dolores Sircova

Ieva Viese

Spāre Vītola

Nicola Lorini

Artūrs Arnis

Kristaps Ancāns

Kaspars Groševs

Amanda Ziemele

On July 25 at At 18.00 at the Pāvilosta artists’ residence “PAiR”, everyone is invited to attend the opening event of the “Liepājas Mākslas forum” festival “Here and in another sun”.

Conversations and music on the way to the “Liepāja Art Forum”, in which, along with pianists Rihards Plešanovs, Roberta Fleitz and poet Madara Gruntmane, music reviewer, artistic director of the “Lielais dzintars” concert hall Orests Silabriedis will also participate.

From September 27 to 29, Liepāja will host the tenth contemporary art festival “Liepāja Art Forum”, at the end of which a special new work will be performed. While preparing this program, at the end of July, the two pianists together with the poet Madara Gruntmane will spend several days at the residence for longer discussions, music selection, forging dramaturgy and comparing opinions in order to create a new work dedicated to the festival – Requiem for the afterlife. The planned event offers an insight into the process of creating a new work and the subject matter, which includes the human relationship with the sun and thoughts about a possible afterlife. “Let’s take a look at how composers in different eras have treated what might await us after the end of this earthly course – this includes the phenomenon of healing and death dances, medieval asceticism, the almost intimate relationship with death of German composers of the Baroque period, the resignation of the Romantic era, the despair of Expressionism, the impressionism of fragility, reconciliation of the new simplicity and other intriguing aspects”, Orests Silabriedis describes the topic of conversations with artists.

Robert Fleitz and Rihards Plešanovs will play acoustic road signs from the newly created program for the audience, and Madara Gruntmane will read several poems related to the topic. The event will take place in the garden of the residence, so visitors are invited to choose clothing suitable for the weather. The event is organized by SIA “Lielais Dzintars” in cooperation with “VV Foundation”. Venue: artists’ residence “PAiR”, Ernesta Shneiders Square 11, Pāvilosta. Free entrance. More information about the “Liepājas Mākslas forum” festival is available at: www.lielaisdzintars.lv.

Photographer, video and performance artist Vika Eksta (1987) spent two separate periods in residence in March 2023 and March 2024. Unlike many other residents of the residence, who work on thematically and geographically closer or more distant topics during the PAiR residency, Eksta has chosen as the object of her artistic research the very place where the research takes place – Pāvilosta, its people, the urban environment and the conditions dictated by nature. What was noticed during the two-month residency in March will become available to both residents of Pavilosta and city guests on June 29, when the exhibition Dream of the Sea will be opened in the gallery of the residence.

The sea as an element, natural phenomenon, inevitable presence, symbol and fascination is an essential image in the exhibition, where it forms a connection between the forms of image and sound: static shots interplay with dynamic compositions, the composition of which was inspired by the sea. Fascination with the sea historically and today has been politically, economically and romantically determined, and these rules are still manifested in Pávilost. The city, the prototype of which was first mentioned in the annals of history in 1253, may not be the most economically important maritime trading hub today, but the romanticized (or dreamed) aspect of the sea has found its expression in a concentrated form in Pāvilost, which in the summer season becomes its own for a large number of “inland” Latvian residents. I envision a destination to change the city beyond recognition for a few months every year.

At the same time, Pāvilosta exists throughout the year, and Eksta’s camera recorded it precisely in the “off-season” – at a time when hotels and guesthouses are empty, cafes are mostly closed and only local residents with or without dogs walk on the beach instead of surfers and vacationers. In the rich collection of photographs recorded by Eksta’s camera, three main motifs can be distinguished. First of all, it is nature – the sea, the sea waves and the sea shore in its harshness and unforgivingness, the dunes and the pines of the Kurzeme coast. Secondly, it is the urban environment of Pāvilosta – the beach, the port, the symmetrical streets, the buildings of which mix the historical and the modern, the familiar and the strange. Thirdly, they are portraits of people, close-ups of faces and memorable features: locals and visitors who have agreed to stand in front of Eksta’s camera lens and represent a dimension of seaside life that is more real than dreamed.

Vika Eksta is an artist living in Riga, whose practice is always based on an object, place or motif analyzed and closely studied through the lens of a camera. Her works mainly focus on personal experience and existential themes such as aging, relationships, gender and social roles. Life and environment in rural Latvia play an important role in Eksta’s projects. She has won such awards as ADC Young Guns, FK Portfolio and the Young Baltic Artists Award of the Riga Biennale of Photography, and was also nominated for the Purvīš Award. Since 2014, Eksta has had eleven solo exhibitions and she has participated in even more group exhibitions. In addition to her practice as an artist, Eksta is a photography teacher. Vikas Eksta’s exhibition Sapnis par jūru will be on display in Pāvilost, PAiR residence at Ernesta Shneider Square 11 from June 29 to August 12. It uses Vikas Eksta’s photo and video works, as well as compositions from the album Songs of the Sea by organist Unas Cintiņas. The curator of the exhibition is the philosopher Helmuts Caune, and its creation is supported by the VV Foundation.

Inviting us to find harmony, the exhibition Dirty Romantics interprets the whispers of the past and explores the evidence of our world with the charm of chance in recycled openness.

Dirty Romantics = Ivars Gravlejs (LV/CZ) & Katerina Berlova (UA/DE) Ivars Grāvlejs was born in the deepest forests of Latvia and is often called the enfant terrible. He plays with combinations of languages, words and images, situations and mystifies the viewer with a certain infantilism. The art of provocation is characteristic of Graveley, who, as is often the case, can pretend that nothing special is at stake. The artist is currently teaching speculative spiritual photography in the Czech Republic and trying to eliminate his enfant terrible ego as Sunny Bumbulitis. One day, Sunny Bumbulitis met Gumiyas Ezīti (Ukrainian teacher Katerina Berlova from Dnipro’s 9th floor) in the Carpathian mountains. The hedgehog likes to sneeze cakes, smell and touch interesting things. They called themselves Dirty Romantics. They like to explore the world and have fun. Dirty romantics are inspired by the concept of mistakes and clumsiness. They pay attention to aestheticizing destructive phenomena.

Recent creative activity of Dirty Romantics:

2024 Octopus Rococo, Kogo Gallery, Tartu

Art Journal #10, Riga: SIA Valters Dakša, ISSN 2592-9801

2023 Looking for Trouble, Galleri Image, Aarhus Dirty Roman will be held in collaboration with R. Hruda, Visuma centrs 2, Madona Ти як?, Museum of Contemporary Art of Ukraine, Kyiv

Open Studios, Jan van Eyck Academie, Maastricht

We are happy to announce the Winners of the 2024 Spring Open Call! The quantity and quality of the proposals have led the jury to an exciting and complex deliberation process. We would like to thank everyone who submitted a proposal for their interest and efforts. And we are thrilled to welcome:

Dorota Gawęda (PL/CH) and Eglė Kulbokaitė ( LT/CH) both graduated from the Royal College of Art in London in 2012. They work in multiples across performance, painting, sculpture, fragrance, video and installation – where language breaks down and one genre morphs into many. Transfusing different bodies of knowledge across space and time, Dorota Gawęda and Eglė Kulbokaitė nurture a research-based practice that weaves together seemingly disparate fields – ecology and technology, science and magic, nonhuman intelligence and shared speculation.

During the PAiR residency programme, Gawęda and Kulbokaitė will focus on their new project high-up noises. high-up noises centres on the artists’ research into Baltic and Slavic folklore, science fiction and social histories to create a surreal scenario of facing oneself amidst the ecological crisis. The central character of the landscape demon Południca appears to the peasant in the delirium of the heat, when they are at their most vulnerable, expressing the contemporary anxieties related to ecological and social unease. Gawęda and Kulbokaitė’s high-up noises is a multi-layered development of their creative practice drawing conceptual and material threads from the -lalia (2021-) performance.

They have exhibited at Thaddaeus Ropac Pantin, Paris; Centre Georges-Pompidou, Paris; Vilnius Biennial; Kunsthalle Mainz; EPFL Pavilions, Lausanne; Shedhalle, Zürich; Kunstraum Niederoesterreich, Vienna; CCS, Paris; Kunstverein Hamburg; Swiss Institute, New York; Julia Stoschek Collection, Düsseldorf; Kunsthalle Fribourg; Lafayette Anticipations, Paris; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; Athens Biennale; Kunsthalle Basel; ICA, London among others. They are the founders of the YOUNG GIRL READING GROUP (2013–2021). They are the recipients of the Allegro Artist Prize 2022; CERN Collide Residency 2022 and laureates of the Swiss Performance Art Award 2021.

Luīze Rukšāne (1995) received a bachelor’s degree in audiovisual and media art from the Latvian Academy of Arts. Louise has been creating and participating in exhibitions since 2016, works in various visual art media, works a lot with the graphite drawing technique, organizes her own and her contemporaries’ exhibitions. As part of the residency, the artist will search for scraps of cotton fabric that are no longer needed by the residents of Pāvilosta with the help of advertisements, which she will then use to create an installation in the space, thus continuing to work with the theme of tangible and intangible heritage, which she started in her last solo exhibition.

Kriste Stan obtained her BA in London Middlesex University inLondon in 2015. In 2009, she became one of the first Lithuanians to start a fashion and style blog,FeedYour Fashion Animal, and has been actively participating in the fashion world for over a decade now.After moving to England for her studies, the artist worked with various publications and brands,deepening her knowledge in fashion, and developing her personal activities between Vilnius and London.After graduating, Kristėrediscovered herself in graphic design and started expanding her clientele bycreating linear drawings.

ROTOR, a Dutch collective who makes physical performances. ROTOR’s performances delve into the absurd banality of existence, simultaneously revealing its endless beauty. Performers often undertake extreme exertions, engaging in repetitive actions, searching for the creative and kinetic potential within physical limitations. A thorough study precedes the exploration of the body’s possibilities, where they grapple with themselves, drawing inspiration from diverse disciplines such as the Dutch Mime tradition, Kung Fu, and free running.

Wingel Mendoza, a Mexico City-born composer and sound artist based in Germany, has seen his work performed internationally and received multiple prizes, including first prizes in composition competitions. A two-time “Jóvenes Creadores” program recipient and he is a member of Mexico’s National System of Art Creators, his diverse body of work spans orchestral compositions to sound art exhibitions across the world. Mendoza’s approach intertwines sound with memories, images, and interactions with technology, nature, and other art forms, aiming to broaden musical perception through improvisation, collaboration, and the creation of unique analog and digital instruments.

Haruka Fukao is a Japanese artist. She studied at Bergen University as an MA Fine Art student and at UiT as an MA in Visual Anthropology to create a film about a bereaved couple scattering the ashes of their children. She is interested in the balance of the social self and substance which everyone gets when they are born. She loves deconstructing definitions of things to recreate another view of the world through filming, performance art and other mediums with no limitations.

WURI lives and works in Seoul, South Korea. She received her BFA(2002) from the Korean National University of Arts, South Korea. She has been working on various media such as photography, video, and installation with everyday materials that are easy to ‘disappear’ into stories that combine personal experiences and place-specific situations. She has participated in several exhibitions abroad, as well as art galleries in Seoul, and collaborates with NGOs and various communities. Recently, has developed an interest in place attachment, place identity, and place memory in modern urban society, acknowledging the challenges of accumulating place attachment in the contemporary globalized world. Her working process frequently includes preliminary research on place experiences and workshop sessions with community members, which serves as a platform to comprehensively form the background for the project. Thus, she utilizes these activities as tools to find artistic ways to communicate within relationships with others and society.

Frederikke Jul Vedelsby is working across drawing, text, and time-based media. In her work she is experiencing access to expanded states of consciousness, is suggesting irregularity – and addresses the limitations of understanding itself. The drawings are acknowledging somatic experience- and knowledge exchange that happens beyond her intellect and across bodies and time. With kinetic b/w 16mm film and with video, the people she is filming with, act personal, in-the-moment improvised rituals, as a practice of awareness, opposition to a society ruled by capital, onedirectionality, and effectivity.

Rebekka Bank is a Danish artist whose practise builds on writing and collecting as creative tools to establish vital connections with the manifold complex ecologies of my direct environment. With a focus on urban landscapes, I observe contemporary life through a critical lens while at the same time rebuilding intimacy in those very same fast-paced surroundings. Through explorations of micro and macro worlds, my work manifests as performances, stories, rituals, tools and garments, bringing new perspectives into a world that is too often defined by alienation and overstimulation.

VV Foundation is pleased to announce its new open call art, culture & humanities professionals!

The next PAiR Open Call program will take place from May 1 till June 30, 2024. We welcome application proposals who develop and engage with agencies, practices and methods cultivating sustainable ways of being that draw from natural processes and rhythms. We aim at exploring the diverse socio-environmental landscape of Pāvilosta, engaging with its rich fauna and flora as well as its particular community and history. During the residency, the participants will receive curatorial assistance in their research process, at least two studio visits from art professionals and a chance to establish valuable connections in the local creative scene.

Eligible disciplines:

Art, culture and humanities professionals active in various fields and roles (artists, curators, researchers, thinkers, writers and others) from Latvia and abroad.

Fees and support:

The PAiR residency offers a studio, living space, access to a library and gallery, curatorial and administrative support, and if needed, workshops, materials, tools and research resources. The residency is free, the applicants are responsible for covering personal (daily and travel) expenses.

Expectations towards the artist: 

During the residency, the artist is welcomed to host an optional exhibition or workshop.

The residency:

PAiR Pāvilosta Residency is an international interdisciplinary residency where creative professionals can develop their projects in a stimulating, distraction-free environment of interdisciplinary dialogue. PAiR ensures a healthy balance of undisturbed work, constructive peer interactions and location-related artistic research to promote the emergence of new, world-exploring and reflective art forms.

Accommodation:

PAiR residency is located on the coast of the Baltic Sea in Pāvilosta. The 500 km long coastline has played an important role in Latvia’s geography, culture and politics and has affected the habits and traditions of the local population. PAiR is located in a 42-hectare area of Grey Dune, the largest dune in Latvia. The residency is situated in a historic wooden building, built in 1901 and fully restored in 2021. The building includes four separate rooms for residents, two studios for creative work, a library with several workspaces, an art gallery, and a weaving studio used by Pāvilosta local weavers. Each separate room will be supplied with all necessary facilities. There is a shared kitchen and dining room in the building.

Application:

To apply, please email info@vvfoundation.org a single PDF containing a conceptual presentation of the project you would like to develop during the residency (no more than 5000 characters) with an indication on whether the specific project is research or process based and whether you require specific conditions and equipment (workshops, materials, etc.). Application should also include an indication of the desired residency period (from 1 up to 2 months), your portfolio and CV. All applications must be received no later than February 15, 2024. All residents are welcome to get involved in the PAiR residency educational program. Applications will be considered by the VV Foundation team, and the results announced by March 1, 2024.

We are excited to announce the results of our Residency Open Call for the artists from Latvia! Thanks to everyone who applied – we are grateful to all the talented artists, who have sent their proposals.

VV Foundation in cooperation with the RIA Keburia Foundation have selected Liene Mackus as the winner of the upcoming Residency in Georgia.

Liene Mackus (1984) is a sculptor and animation artist who usually works with plasticine animation she herself calls the moving sculpture. Her début in children’s book art – illustrations for a children’s poem in the Bicki-buck books series (Liels un Mazs). The artist often pays attention to the social theme, but analyses it from a distance and with lots of unconditional love. She is also the nominee for the Purvītis Prize and author of an extraordinary environmental art object in Riga – a bench called Riga’s Lion (2015).

We are happy to announce the Winners of the 2023 Autum Call! The 46 projects submitted have revealed a wide variety of approaches to engaging communities in art-based placemaking processes. The quantity and quality of the proposals have led the jury to an exciting and complex deliberation process. We would like to thank everyone who submitted a proposal for their interest and efforts. And we are thrilled to welcome:

Dzelde Mierkalne, a multidisciplinary artist with a background in printmaking. With great reverence for technique and process, Dzelde aims to overthrow technique-related artistic standards to create something new and find its place in today’s context.

Katrīna Čemme makes prints and sculptural objects, using materials with unique characteristics. She began exhibiting work in 2012 with shows at Vilnius Graphic Art Centre, XCII, RIXC, Systems, the National Library of Latvia, Conditions of Contemplation, Riga Art Space, and kim?.

Chin Meng-Hsuan is from Taiwan. Her paintings and drawings evolve around the ambiguity of space, time, and everyday life. In abstracting visual and verbal elements from various encounters, she explores the relationship between thinking process and bodily movement intrinsic to the painterly practice.

Stefan Klampfer has studied sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, but he likes to see his practice independent of a specific media. He is interested in fundamental questions on the process of making art, investigating borders of art and non-art.

Amine Dhouibi is an independent artist and composer from Tunisia, on an inspiring journey of self-discovery within the vast universe of music. Amine’s compositions transcend boundaries, blending modern jazz, diverse musical influences, and a profound vision to create a truly unique artistic expression.

Laimdota Malle is actively working across varied media, including drawing, printing, sculpture, and animated images in order to create installations with a specific interest in questioning meanings of collective and personal experiences. Using various techniques, she is recording impressions through copying on different surfaces and materialities and recreating images from photographs, in order to build a collection of pieces of everything around. Through her own experiences, combined with the need to research, understand, and collect, she creates metaphorical stories that reveal hitherto unknown landscapes and realities.

From July 7 to August 12, 2023, the Pāvilosta Artist in Residency gallery (Latvia, E. Šneidera Square 11) will host Anna Dzērve’s exhibition “Unveiling”.

From May 23, Anna Dzērve stayed at the PAiR Residency, where she worked on her new art project. On July 7 at 6:00 p.m, Anna Dzērve’s newest exhibition “Unveiling” will be opened, where it will be possible to enjoy the art works created in the PAiR.

Exhibition curator Igors Gubenko:

“Is there a place for the female nude art in the visual arts of the 21st century?

Photographer Anna Dzērve answers this question, prompted by the critique of the male gaze developed by the second wave of feminism, with “Unveiling” addressed in the key of sisterly communion.

The portraits of Pāvilosta women taken during the artist’s residency are evidence of the formation of personal bonds, where feminine eroticism provides a clue to the search for a common experience across geographical, social and other differences.

In a stylistic characteristic of Anna Dzērve, the models’ figures are covered by projections of Pāvilosta’s nature scenes, which sometimes touch the body with a gentle caress, sometimes emphasize its fragility and vulnerability.

Crucially, this illuminated nudity is not meant for the pleasure of others – it celebrates eroticism as a space of mutual trust and liberation, not a resource for the gratification of another’s lust.

Although not all models reveal their faces, the process of creating portraits is a true process of discovery, in which the traditional hierarchy of power between the artist’s gaze and the subject’s body is replaced by the nakedness of both in mutually echoing narratives of experience.

Regardless of whether these stories, which are not revealed to the audience, encourage, reawakening a power of sensuality hitherto unknown, or recall memories full of anxiety and pain about the wrongs experienced, they are heard and echoed in the fold of mutual care and sensitivity, which is gently reconstructed by a darkened exhibition space “

At 19:00, the opening event of the exhibition will be complemented by the performance “BORN NAKED / THE REST IS DRAG” by artist Daniela Vētra.

Just shortly after all the Midsummer festivities are over, PAiR Summer Stage will kick off the summer season with their opening night on Saturday, July 1 with the acclaimed artists Elizabete Balčus and Jeļena Glazova. Elizabete and Jelena are both multi-disciplinary artists whose practices span music, poetry, and performance.

The free shows on the Summer Stage will take place next to the Pavilosta Artist in Residency and will serve as an incubator for the creation of new work in art, music, poetry, performance, dance and theatre. As an extension of Residency, it will serve as an outdoor space for inventive encounters, where artist can develop their projects in a stimulating, distraction-free environment of interdisciplinary dialogue. Stay tuned for more events.

Elizabete Balčus is a Latvian musician and performance artist who creates neo-psychedelic dream pop from surprising, collaged, genre juxtapositions that is simultaneously melodic and experimental. She works with a strong visual aesthetic that draws upon modern surrealism, contemporary fashion and geometric imagery. Elizabete attended Latvian Academy of Music in order to study classical and jazz flute, plus opera vocal in Rome’s Santa Cecilia Academy. Anything is permitted in her musical cosmos: looping flute and voice, clicking electro pop beats and playing vegetables as a synthesizer, leaving the listener in a blissed out trance like state, somewhere between the waking and sleeping. Live performances engage the audience with a psychedelic and theatrical situation that is as befuddling as it is mesmerizing.

Jelena Glazova is a sound artist/visual artist and a poet. Working in interdisciplinary areas of contemporary art, combining in her works image, poetic text, experimental sound and installation.

Experimental music activity field – noise/drone, usually constructed from processed vocals. As a visual artist Jelena had 8 solo exhibitions, including solo shows at Latvian Museum of Photography (2010) and Latvian Contemporary Art Centre (LMC) (2011), participated in numerous group exhibitions, festivals and projects in Latvia, Russia, USA, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, South Korea, Canada and other countries. As a poet she participates in poetry festvals and has numerous publications. Jelena is the author of 3 books of poetry. First book “Transfers” (2013, in Russian and Latvian) was nominated for Latvian Annual Literary Award (LALIGABA), second book “Plasma” (2014) was published in Estonia in Estonian and English, third book “Greed” was published in 2019 and was nominated for Latvian Poetry Days Award. Jelena’s poetry is translated into Latvian, English, Finnish, Polish, Estonian, Lithuanian, Swedish, Hungarian languages.

As a sound artist started performing in 2012 – she performed at experimental music and sound art festivals and contributed to art projects – at Hamburger Bahnhof Museum for Contemporary Art (Berlin, Germany), BOZAR (Brussels, Belgium), Reina Sofia Museum (Madrid, Spain), Sound around Kaliningrad (Kaliningrad, Russia), Noise and Fury (Moscow, Russia), Poetronica (Moscow, Russia), Vilnius Noise Week (Vilnius, Lithuania), adventurous music festival Skaņu Mežs (Riga, Latvia), electronic music festival Art’s Birthday (Stockholm, Sweden), Vienna Art Week (Vienna, Austria) etc.  She was as a guest composer at EMS Stockholm, WORM Rotterdam, etc.

Jelena has chosen experimental and drone/noise/ambient form of expression after disappointment with tonal music, as she did not find it creative enough as a form of expression (she was playing few instruments and had classical vocal training, as adolescent performed parts in children’s operas).

This opportunity is for an emerging or an established artist, based in Latvia, and offers a fully funded 4-weeks residency at Ria Keburia Foundation (Georgia, Gurjaani region, Kachreti village, Sangali) from 15 September till 15 October 2023. 

Application Deadline: 1 August 2023

Residency time-slot: 15 September – 15 October 2023

Ria Keburia Foundation in cooperation with VV Foundation, is announcing an open call for the Artists-in-Residence program at Ria Keburia Foundation (Georgia) in September-October 2023. The program is focused on enabling artists to develop new works, network, and interact with art professionals in Georgia.

The residency is open to contemporary visual artists working in all disciplines.

The Artist-in-Residence program offers: 

private room;

shared kitchen with provided food supplies;

reimbursement of the travel costs;

public talk/presentation by the artist;

dinner with art professionals, dedicated to the artist;

participation in the exhibition at Ria Keburia Foundation Artists in Residency at the end of the residency.

Application Procedure:

Applicants should have a moderate level of spoken English. We accept digital applications only. Application should include the following in ONE PDF file:

A cover sheet with name, contact address, e-mail and telephone number

A confirmation of availability from 15 September – 15 October 2023, if selected

An artist’s statement describing practice and areas of interest (up to 500 words)

A minimum of 10 images (or equivalent extracts from videos, sound work, etc) of recent work, with captions and a short description

A CV/Resume

A statement plans during the possible residency (this proposal can change during the course of the residency)

* Please note that only the successful artist will be notified by 10 August 2023. Due to the expected high number of applications, we are unable to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

The Ria Keburia Foundation, founded in 2018 by the Georgian patron of the arts Ria Keburia, aims to support development of the contemporary art scene in Georgia and the region of South Caucasus. One of the main goals of the Foundation is creating an ecosystem of international Artist-in-Residence programs and strengthening support and promotion of emerging and established Georgian artists. Read more about Residence here: https://riakeburia.com/

Summer solstice is a special time not only in nature but also in our lives, when the Earth’s geomagnetic field and human energy centers (chakras) are strongly influenced and energized. During this time, the energy of the Sun is most intense, making it a wonderful opportunity to focus on our inner state and spiritual development. The solar energy during this time is very powerful and fills the Earth with warmth, light, and life.

In traditional yoga practice, the summer solstice is considered a time to engage in meditation, yoga, and various spiritual practices to release negative emotions and blocks in our energetic system, which can help us find greater harmony with ourselves and our surroundings, gaining a better understanding of ourselves and our life path.

During the retreat, which lasts for several days, we will be together to deepen our understanding of yoga and meditation practice, regain our energy and peace. We will spend time with like-minded people and, most importantly, draw strength from nature. The retreat will include both physical yoga practices, various meditation and spiritual development sessions, as well as a joint creation of a solstice fire ritual led by shaman Jānis Ieviņš, which will help us let go of the old to make room for the new. The summer solstice is a time when every expressed intention and genuine heartfelt desire is heard because the ether around us is charged and open.

Morning and afternoon yoga and meditation practices will be led by experienced and internationally recognized Signija Linde, who is a 500-hour certified (Yoga Alliance) yoga teacher and has been teaching yoga for more than seven years.

We will learn about the power of plants in the “Hydrosol Masterclass” together with Ilze Svilpe, where each person can create their own hydrosol and gain a greater understanding of the application, purpose, and benefits of plants for every life situation.

We will explore the topic of “yoga & discipline” – the mind and consciousness as a manifestation of matter, even though yoga speaks of matter as a manifestation of the mind. We will deeply practice breathing and meditation techniques together with Jānis Matvejevs, who will prepare us to stand on our nails for a few seconds at the end of the retreat.

Our treasure is our nature, our forests, the sea, and the power of being together. Let’s be together in our beautiful summer, create unforgettable memories, dedicate time to ourselves and our bodies, strengthen and empower them. Let’s find the path to the soul. Let’s dedicate time to silence, peace, and balance. Let’s inhale everything that is necessary for each of us and exhale everything that is unnecessary. Everything that flows through the mind has an impact on the body, emotions, and sensations. Every thought has an impact on us. Shamans and Eastern mystics use developed inner perception, being in the silence of the mind, in inner harmony and balance, to perceive and explore the true reality. This is the path to becoming Human. For everyone. By letting go of everything unnecessary and illusory, getting to know our true essence, and living our lives fulfilled, benevolent, and happy.

RETREAT PROGRAM

Wednesday, June 21st

17:00 to 18:45 SLOW FLOW YOGA with Signija Linde

Slow Flow Yoga is a type of yoga that combines a peaceful, slow series of movements with focused breathing and sometimes meditation. Slow Flow Yoga is similar to Hatha Yoga, with a smoother flow of movement and less energy consumption.

Practicing Slow Flow Yoga involves slow, smooth movements in coordination with the breath, allowing for a deeper experience of each movement element. The practice is designed to increase strength, flexibility, and balance, as well as to calm and focus the mind. It is suitable for both beginners and more experienced practitioners.

19:00 to 20:30 OPENING CIRCLE and SOLSTICE FIRE RITUAL with Jānis Ieviņš

The opening circle is a gathering to set intentions, create a supportive and safe space, and connect with each other. During the opening circle, we will introduce ourselves, share our intentions for the retreat, and create a sense of community.

The solstice fire ritual is a traditional ceremony performed during the summer solstice to honor the energy of the Sun and release what no longer serves us. It involves writing down our fears, negative emotions, and anything we want to let go of, and then burning the paper in the fire as a symbolic act of transformation and release.

Thursday, June 22nd

07:30 to 09:00 SUNRISE YOGA with Signija Linde

Sunrise Yoga is a gentle and energizing yoga practice that helps awaken the body and mind. It is a beautiful way to start the day by connecting with the energy of the rising sun and setting positive intentions for the day ahead.

The practice will include a combination of yoga asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation. It is suitable for all levels, from beginners to more experienced practitioners.

09:30 to 11:00 HYDROSOL MASTERCLASS with Ilze Svilpe

The Hydrosol Masterclass is a workshop where participants will learn about the power of plants and how to create their own hydrosol. Hydrosols are aromatic waters that contain the essence of a plant and have various therapeutic properties. They can be used for skincare, aromatherapy, and general well-being.

During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to create their own hydrosol using plants and herbs provided. They will also learn about the application, purpose, and benefits of different plants and how to incorporate hydrosols into their daily lives.

16:00 to 18:00 YOGA & DISCIPLINE with Jānis Matvejevs

Yoga & Discipline is a workshop that explores the connection between the mind, consciousness, and the physical body. It delves into the concept of discipline in yoga and how it relates to self-control, mental focus, and spiritual development.

The workshop will include deep breathing and meditation techniques to enhance self-awareness and discipline. Participants will also learn advanced yoga poses, including standing on nails for a few seconds at the end of the retreat.

Friday, June 23rd

08:00 to 09:30 MORNING YOGA with Signija Linde

Morning Yoga is a dynamic and invigorating yoga practice that helps awaken the body, increase flexibility, and build strength. It is designed to energize the mind and body, setting a positive tone for the day.

The practice will include a combination of flowing sequences, balancing poses, and inversions. It is suitable for all levels, with variations and modifications provided to accommodate different abilities.

10:00 to 12:00 MEDITATION AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT with Signija Linde

Meditation and Spiritual Development is a session dedicated to deepening our meditation practice and exploring various techniques for spiritual growth. It will include guided meditations, breathwork, and mindfulness exercises.

The session will provide an opportunity to quiet the mind, connect with our inner wisdom, and expand our consciousness. It will be a time for self-reflection, inner exploration, and opening ourselves to spiritual insights and guidance.

17:00 to 18:30 SLOW FLOW YOGA with Signija Linde

The Slow Flow Yoga session will offer another opportunity to practice this gentle and calming style of yoga. It will focus on slow, intentional movements, deep stretching, and relaxation.

The practice will help release tension, promote relaxation, and cultivate a sense of peace and well-being. It is suitable for all levels and is particularly beneficial for reducing stress and promoting mindfulness.

8:00 – 9:45 VINYASA FLOW with Signija Linde

Vinyasa Flow Yoga aims to create harmony between the body, mind, and spirit through conscious movement, breath control, and presence, allowing participants to experience unity and the flow of life energy. The practice invites individuals to consciously develop body awareness and peace, promoting well-being and inner balance. The practice will be energizing, allowing the body to recharge and ground itself, so that the body does not hinder and feels good in the subsequent mindfulness practices that will follow.

13:00 – 15:30 BREATHING & MEDITATION / STANDING ON NAILS with Jānis Matvejevs

The way you breathe reflects how you live. Breath is life. It is one of the most important functions of the body. Breathing can be considered the most vital aspect because it is through breathing that the invisible life energy (prana) that flows through the body is renewed and cleansed. By breathing correctly, more oxygen reaches the blood and the brain, and prana or life energy is controlled. Breathing exercises help focus the mind. Breath is our life force, the link between the physical and the spiritual. Conscious breathing or pranayama helps improve the quality of life and restore energy.

Most people breathe unconsciously, automatically, with shallow breaths. Infants breathe with their whole bodies, and each breath resembles a wave. As people grow older, they stop breathing correctly because emotional states such as fear, sadness, anger, etc., alter breathing patterns. Those who can consciously regulate their breath can control their emotions and mood.

Pranayama improves health, the digestive system, tones the nervous system, balances consciousness, prevents laziness, gives the body lightness, improves appetite, concentration, and fills us with life energy. The effects of breathing exercises are immediately noticeable – the ability to concentrate increases, the nervous system calms down, the internal organs are trained, and the whole body benefits.

PARTICIPATION IN THE RETREAT

Retreat participation fee: 200 EUR

The participation fee includes meditation, pranayama, and yoga sessions, as well as a workshop on herbal hydrosols, a summer solstice fire ritual, and a breathing and meditation workshop, with the opportunity to stand on nails.

To reserve your spot in the retreat, a security deposit of 100 EUR must be made, which will not be refunded if you suddenly decide not to participate in the retreat. The remaining amount can be paid on-site or in advance. Payment can be made in cash or via bank transfer. The advance payment must be made by June 10th.

To register for the retreat, please send a message to lindesignija@gmail.com & let’s meet in the power of nature during the summer solstice in Pāvilosta.

With love, Signija & PAiR

From June 3 to July 8, PAiR Gallery will host the exhibition of Sarmite Malina “Plastic Surgery”. The PLASTIC SURGERY exhibition is opened by red, twisted mirrors placed in black polished frames. They are like confused and tired information carriers of Sarmīte’s laborious experience. Their shape and color unabashedly reveal the point where she is now. PLASTIC SURGERY in this case means only the plastic surgery that is done to each of us. You can say – for free.

Sarmīte Māliņa is a Latvian artist. She has graduated from Rēzekne Secondary School of Applied Arts and the Design Department of the Latvian Academy of Arts.

Sarmīte participates in exhibitions since 1986. Together with Sergej Davidov and Oleg Tillberg, she created installations in the 1980s (“Staburaga children”, “People in cages”), in the 1990s she created objects (“Feelings”, 1992; “Language”, “Electric chair”, “Happy childhood”, all 1996; “Sunny Day”, 1997; “Experience”, 1998). In 1995, she received the prize of the international jury of the 3rd annual “Soros Contemporary Art Center – Riga” exhibition “Monument” for the object “Unfounded joy”. Later, she worked together with photographer Kristaps Kalns (installation “Love never ends”, 2008), 2015.

From May 24 to June 23, artist Anna Dzērve will work on a new art project at the Pāvilosta artists’ residence. We invite those who want to participate in an experimental photo session of approximately 4-5 hours to apply. After the photo session, from July 8, the photos will be publicly available in the PAiR gallery.

The artist’s works often touch on the topics of her personal traumas and a woman’s place in the world, so the only requirements for the model are to be born as a woman (due to the aforementioned traumas, photo sessions for men are offered only in exceptional cases), but the main requirement is an interest in her dark and feminine side, willingness to stand in front of the camera naked to find out this side. This summer, the artist will step out of her comfort zone and look for models for photo sessions in Pāvilosta – the photo sessions could take place both indoors and outdoors, but definitely in the dark, because Anna’s means of artistic expression is not only the analog camera, but also the projector, which is the main source of light in all in her photos. The artist has always tried to draw a clear line between her works and pornography, so they are tastefully erotic. If the model or photographer does not feel comfortable doing something – it is not done. To get an impression of Anna Dzerve’s artistic style and whether the vision of the model and the artist coincide, we recommend you to look at Anna’s portfolio: www.instagram.com/annadzerve.

PAiR residency open call for art, culture and humanities professionals active in various fields and roles – artists, curators, researchers, thinkers, writers and others, from all countries. The PAiR open call program will take place from August 15 until October 15 2023. During the residency, residents will be provided with curatorial assistance in their research process, with at least two studio visits from art professionals, as well as connections to the local art scene.

Pāvilosta Residency is an international interdisciplinary place of residence for creative people that provides artists-in-residence and other creative professionals with time, space and material resources for research, experimenting and professional development. The residency is willing to promote the emergence of various new, world-exploring and reflective art forms, bringing together specialists from different fields, in order to develop intercultural cooperation, interdisciplinary knowledge and promotion of location-related artistic research.

Applicants:
To apply, please go to https://pair.lv/cv-en/.

PAiR covers:
The PAiR residency offers a studio, living space, access to library and gallery, curatorial support (at least two organised studio visits), provides administrative support and, if necessary, workshops, materials, tools and research resources. All the residencies are free, applicants are responsible for covering personal (daily and travel) expenses. We will issue acceptance letters for successful applicants and support their applications for external grants to cover any costs.

Building:
The building includes four separate rooms for residents, two studios for creative work, a library with several workspaces, an art gallery, as well as a weaving studio where Pāvilosta local weavers work. Each individual room will be supplied with all the necessary facilities. The building has a shared kitchen and dining room.

Sara Koluchova, a Czech contemporary dancer and choreographer based in Germany has started work on the research project “Portrait of…” where she explores cultural identity in bodily expression throughout Europe. She collects individual movement stories and intends to portray the diversity of cultural imprint in the body. She invites locals for personal interviews to exchange about the topic of cultural identity. The „Portrait of…collection Latvia” research is accompanied by the Latvian dance dramaturge Modris Opelts and is supported by the Dance Research NRW – NRW KULTURsekretariat.

While at PAiR, Robert and Stephen will work on the new project – “tell
me who I am”. It is a work that creates a telling and intimately charged
portrayal of the performer by combining elements of theatre, dance,
installation, and recital. It deals with sex, childhood and heritage
constructed from interviews, recordings, and workshops with the
performer. This work is in discourse between humanist and post-humanist
thinking. It is a work to reflect on human things.

During her residency, Vika Eksta will work on creating works for the solo exhibition at ALMA MATER, which will take place in the Alma gallery this summer and will breathe the air of Pāvilosta and explore the place as it is outside the active tourist season, looking for ideas for a new work that could be created next year in the PAiR gallery.

Hannele Zane Putniņa has started her work at the residency on an exhibition of works that will be shown in the summer at the PAIR gallery in Pāvilosta. Currently Zane is working with the linocut technique, looking for different ways to experiment with the technique, materials, and shapes. The work task revolves around aquatic life, which is a fascinating thread for Zane as a fisherman’s daughter and a long-time resident of Miķeļtornis. For the time being, it is planned to transfer the flat graphic technique into a sculptural object that will be exhibited in space.

Laidi Legends

“Laidi Legends” is an art event at the PAiR residence in Pāvilosta, where Ieva Epnere exhibits her video works and photographs. In the autumn of 2021, the artist spent two weeks at the “Kuldīga Municipality Creative Artists’ Residence”, staying in the right wing of Laidi School and getting to know people and their skills, as well as started weaving tapestry on the Laidi loom herself.

Ieva Epnere was interested in the non-material evidence of the past and the Spirit of this place revealed in legends. From this, the idea for a play was born that was performed at the Laidi School’s centenary gathering, which was postponed by one year due to the pandemic.

By cooperating with the school dramatic group and inviting the choreographer Elīna Gediņa, five “Laidi Legends” plays were created. About the white lady, the Countess of Laidi, who wanders around the castle due to unfulfilled love as a reproach to prejudices and greed in different social groups. About the foundation sacrifice, or the blood sacrifice of Valtaiķi Church, which is necessary so that the building does not collapse. For the best place in the ravine near the Rudzīši stone where marigolds flourish. About the mystical 70-metre abyss in the middle of the forest where Turlava, Snēpele and Laidi border, and the marsh sedge feeds on the passions of territorial interests. About the red cow that appears once in a hundred years from which money can be shaken.

In the flames of the Russian revolution of 1905, Kazdanga Castle, belonging to the owners of the Laidi manor burnt down. In Laidi, farmers were beaten. The censor Remiķis who came from Laidi shortly before Tsar Nicholas II’s manifesto on freedom of speech had passed through censorship the drama tale “The Silver Veil” written by Aspazija in which the main character, Guna, sets fire to the royal palace with a red veil.  The White German newspaper “Düna-Zeitung” (1905, 221) wrote indignantly about the provocation in the New Latvian Theatre. The theatre mingled with life.  About 450 German-Baltic castles and manors were burnt down. The buried gold of the censor Remiķis, mentioned in one of the legends, is nowhere to be found.

The information from the Ministry of Education shows that in the last twenty-three years, more than 400 schools have been closed in Latvia; Laidi School was closed with fireworks.

The artist Ieva Epnere, together with the cameraman Valdis Celmiņš, continues to work on the documentary film about the last semester of Laidi School in which the celebration and farewell were mixed in a symmetrical inversion.

About the artist:

Ieva Epnere (born in 1977 in Liepāja) graduated from the Visual Communication Department of the Latvian Academy of Arts (2003), Textile Art Department (2001) and postgraduate studies at HISK in Ghent (2012). Ieva Epnere creates photographs, textile works, video installations and films in which personal and private stories are the starting point for artistic reflections on identity, traditions and rituals. Since 1998, she participates in exhibitions in Latvia and abroad. Ieva Epnere received the Purvītis Award 2019 for her work “The Sea of Living Memories”, she is a DAAD, and The Berliner Künstlerprogramm scholarship receiver in Berlin (2019-2020). Ieva Epnere has had exhibitions in several art residencies, the most recent of which are DAAD, Berlin (2019/2020), Iaspis, Stockholm (2018), Fogo Island Arts, Fogo, Canada (2017, 2018), ISCP, New York (2016). Currently, Ieva Epnere teaches composition and photography at ISSP School and Liepāja Music, Art and Design High School.

The author of the exhibition text: Anita Vanaga

Exhibition project manager: Līna Birzaka-Priekule

The exhibition is open from 27 August to 30 October

The exhibition is supported by: VV Foundation, Kurzeme planning region, Kuldīga Municipality,
Kuldīga Artists’ Residence, LG and VKKF

On August 6 at 4 pm, we look forward to welcoming you to the discussion Art and science: a match looking for heaven which will take place at the PAiR residency in Pāvilosta.

“Interdisciplinary” has now been a buzzword for long enough in order to evaluate its merits. The intersection and cooperation between art and science has been a fruitful endeavour, but it certainly has more potential. This discussion will try to examine and identify the best (and worst) approaches in using science in art (and vice versa) and determine what we can do to facilitate those. Three current residents of the PAiR Residency (Voldemārs Johansons, Kristīne Krauze-Slucka, Lidija Zaneripa) all work heavily in the intersection between art and science, and prof. Antoine Reserbat-Plantey will provide a perspective of a scientist who has addressed these issues.

Participants: Kristīne Krauze – Slucka (LV), Lidija Zaneripa (LV), Antoine Reserbat-Plantey (FR), Voldemārs Johansons (LV)

Moderator: Helmuts Caune (LV)

The discussion will also take place on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vv.foundation/

The discussion will be in English.
The discussion is supported by: VKKF and Kurzeme Cultural Programme 2022

From 9 July to 14 August, the PAiR residence gallery in Pāvilosta will host a solo exhibition of the artist Voldemars Johansons “Storm Sees No Colour”. The starting point of the exhibition can be found in the artist’s expeditions to the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In it, Johansons explores the ways to look at this part of the planet affected by climate change from a point of view in which the experience of observing the physical environment and landscapes has already been partially transferred to the realm of virtual reality technologies.

The ecosystems of northern Norway, the Faroe Islands and the Svalbard Archipelago are experiencing rapid changes, and even the most conservative forecasts indicate that the North Pole’s ice sheet will melt completely in summers in the foreseeable future. In it, Johansons explores the ways to look at this part of the planet affected by climate change from a point of view in which the experience of observing the physical environment and landscapes has already been partially transferred to the realm of virtual reality technologies. 

The first part of the exhibition took place in the ISSP Gallery in Riga, in 2021. For the exhibition in the PAiR gallery, new works have been created through which the audience is invited to sense the relationship between humanity and untouched nature, feeling the arctic breath, sound and majesty. Thematically, the “Storm Sees No Colour” exhibition continues Johansons’ studies of the interaction between the physical world and human experience, which he started in his earlier works. 

Voldemars Johansons (1980) is a composer and artist who in his creative practice combines interest in visuality, sound and science. His installations and compositions are based on data created by the analysis of environmental phenomena with a scientific approach. Johansons studied electronic music composition at the Sonology Institute of the Hague Royal Conservatory. His works have been exhibited in many places around the world, including the Venice Biennale of Architecture, the ArtGENDA art project (Hamburg), the Ruhrtriennale (Bochum), the BOZAR art centre (Brussels), TodaysArt (Hague), Skaņu Mežs (Riga), Unsound (Krakow), the STEIM studio (Amsterdam) festivals, Wroclaw Media Art Biennale, Ars Electronica Center (Linz) and elsewhere.

Text: Eva Johansone

On 9 July, a tour with the artist Voldemars Johansons will take place at the exhibition.

The exhibition is organised by: VV Foundation

Cooperation partner of the exhibition: ISSP Gallery

The exhibition is supported by: VKKF and Kurzeme Cultural Programme 2022

This year, from 28 May to 30 October, a contemporary art exhibition programme shall be
implemented in VV Foundation PAiR Residence gallery in Pāvilosta (Ernesta Šneidera laukums
11). Until 27 June, the exhibition of artist duo Skuja Braden “Acs ābola dzīru mielasts” (Feast your
Eye) will be on display at the gallery; in July and August, the exhibition of Voldemārs Johansons
will be on display, while at the end of summer, the visitors will be able to see the new works of Ieva
Epnere.

Skuja Braden – an artist duo, which was jointly established in 1999 by Inguna Skuja from Latvia
and Melissa D. Braden from California – is a rather uncommon phenomenon in the art space of
Latvia as a result of direct and critical messages, as well as a baroque-like intensive and lavishly
bright form of expression. “Feast your eye” offers an outlook on the world from the point of view
that is cleared from usual opinions, normative dictate, cliches and prejudice – the eyeball has
become the main hero and its tears about the hypocrisy and evil of the world are transformed into
clear and bouncy notes as they hit the surface of the singing bowl. This year, the artists are
representing Latvia at the International Art Exhibition – 59 th Venice Biennale.
The curator of the exhibition is Solvita Krese.

From 8 July to 21 August, the exhibition “Vētra neredz krāsu” (Storm Sees no Colour) by
Voldemārs Johansons will take place. Voldemārs Johansons is among the infrequent artists of
Latvia, who in the most direct way synthesises forms of visual art, technologies and procedural
research of nature. The starting point for the exhibition lies in the expeditions of the author to the
arctic regions of the Northern hemisphere — Northern Norway, the Faroe Islands and the Svalbard
Archipelago. These ecosystems are subject to rapid changes and even tentative forecasts bear
evidence that the melting of the North Pole ice cap is expected in the foreseeable future. At the
exhibition displayed at the gallery, Johansons will examine the ways of viewing this part of the
planet affected by climate change from the point of view, where the experience of observing
physical environment and landscape has been partially transferred into the area of virtual reality
technologies. In his exhibition at PAiR gallery, Voldemārs Johansons will display his newest video
work “Ūdeņradis” (Hydrogen), where the author continues to research the perception and
experience of sound in connection with the environment and ecology. Photographs and an object
made of coal, as well as new location-tagged photos that will be taken in Pāvilosta during the
residence of the artist there will be displayed to create a dialogue with the existing work that is
based on art research.

Meanwhile, from 26 August to 30 October, a personal exhibition of the Purvītis Prize winner of
2019, Ieva Epnere, will be organised, where the work of Epnere “Dzīvo atmiņu jūra” (Sea of Living
Memories), which received the Purvītis Prize in 2019, will be displayed. In this work, Epnere addresses the precarious nature of identity, as a reaction to post-Soviet society development processes. In the hands of Epnere, fiction becomes a valuable tool to research the awareness of the human being and open identity as a hybrid of made-up myths and historical narratives. The military heritage of the Baltic coast is an object of special interest – she researches the fate of the former military personnel and local residents, who were brought up in the conditions of the Soviet regime and are currently facing the new social reality. The region of Pāvilosta and people living here play a special role in this research. Furthermore, an absolutely new work is being created especially for the exhibition. The exhibition is organised in co-operation with Kim? Contemporary Art Centre.

PAiR gallery is open to visitors from Friday to Sunday, from 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m. Entrance
is free of charge.

On other days, the exhibition is open for visits when making a prior arrangement by calling the
phone number +371 25456164.
The exhibition programme is supported by: SCCF, Kurzeme Culture Programme 2022 and Latvia’s
State Forests.

From 28 May to 27 June, the PAIR Residence Gallery in Pāvilosta will host the exhibition of the artist duo Skuja Braden “Acs ābola dzīru mielasts” (Feast your Eye).

Skuja Braden is an artist duo created in 1999 by Inguna Skuja from Latvia and Melissa D. Braden from California. It is a rather unusual phenomenon for the Latvian art scene, thanks to both direct and critical messages and the baroque intensity, as well as the insatiably bright form of expression.

At the Venice Biennale, you can see how organically and precisely the exposition created by Skuja Braden in the Latvian pavilion fits into the topic of the biennial, the true tone of which is set by newly discovered powerful and surprising artists working within the framework of surrealism who have been set aside on the last pages of history for a long time. Therefore, I cannot resist the temptation to think of Skuja Braden’s works in the context of the use of surreal language. In the works of these artists, reality is reversed and distorted, dreams and imagination merge with reality, references to mass culture and history alternate with their own mythology and vision.

“Acs ābola dzīru mielasts” (Feast your Eye) offers to look at the world without the application of usual notions, norms, clichés and prejudices — the eyeball has become the main character, whose tears of the world’s hypocrisy and evil turn into clear and springy notes, hitting the surface of the singing bowl. 

Geisha, Marilyn, aliens, a young woman, the Buddha and other favourite characters of Skuja Braden are at the ceremonial feast table, affirming the possibility of an inclusive world in which the ideas of feminism coexist quite well with Buddhist theory, in which traditional gender roles do not exist, the distinction between a man and nature disappears, and in which the apples also have eyes.

Text: Solvita Krese

On 28 May at 4:00 P.M. tour at the exhibition with Skuja Braden and Solvita Krese.
On 29 May at 11:00 A.M. Solvita Krese’s lecture on the history of the Venice Biennale and the current 59^th Venice Biennale exposition “Selling Water by the River”.

The exhibition is organised by: VV Foundation
Exhibition curator: Solvita Krese
The exhibition is supported by: VKKF and Kurzeme Cultural Programme 2022

From April 1 until May 15, 2022 an exhibition “Sadura”, dedicated to expanded painting is on view at the PAiR residency gallery (E. Šneidera laukums 11, Pāvilosta). The show includes works by Jānis Dzirnieks, Andris Eglītis, Sarmīte Māliņa, Elza Sīle, Jānis Šneiders and Aija Zariņa from the collection of VV Foundation. Curator of the exhibition is Auguste Petre. The central focus of the exhibition is the dialogue that has been developed though the notion of expanded painting – questions and answers about relations that exist between particular pieces of art, between art media, and between painting and the 21^st century. Questions and answers existing between those artists of different generations, that have found themselves in one room.

Foto: Ansis Starks

Expanded painting is a concept raised in the world history of arts more than 70 years ago, as artists and art theorists revalued the disappearance of the formal boundaries of painting, the almost literal merger of this medium with sculpture, object art and various expressions of conceptualism, including performing arts. As innovative media have been established, the role of painting has been subject to revaluation and discussion several times – Latvia has not been an exception either, where this medium is perceived as “traditional” and failing to comply with the notion of “contemporary” art. There was a period, when a timid idea occurred, which stated that the era of painting had gone and, in the nearest future, it would be replaced by virtuality with its limitless boundaries.

Foto: Ansis Starks

However, reality shows that the options of painting are also limitless and extensions of painting can be found everywhere. The selection of different material (dirt and mud in the works of A. Eglītis, epoxy resin in the objectual paintings of J. Dzirnieks; wooden boards used by S. Māliņa and J. Šneiders; metal and toothpaste in the creative practice of E. Sīle; or canvas and oil in the painting of A. Zariņa) is only one of the techniques at the disposal of the artist, in order to develop and expand technique. The importance of painting is no longer hidden in the form and content alone; currently technical versatility, awareness of colour and composition have been put on a pedestal alongside the former. Do not live without painting, everything is small without it.

The concept of this exhibition has been designed as a dialogue of three pairs of artists – mutual communication or extensions of art within the “white cube” of PAiR gallery consist of the works from the collection of VV Foundation by Andris Eglītis and Jānis Dzirnieks, Elza Sīle and Aija Zariņa, as well as Sarmīte Māliņa and Jānis Šneiders. Each of these artists addresses the notion of painting and space differently, but all of them are united by appreciation of the architectonics of visual arts and expansion of media. Meanwhile the composition of the exhibition reveals that a dialogue is maintained by all pieces of art jointly and colour can be considered as an unequivocal initiative for this communication.

Foto: Ansis Starks

The word “Sadura” used in the title is borrowed from the building sector, where this word is used to denote the site of connection of two elements of construction. In the context of the exhibition, this emphasises painting as an opportunity for establishing contemporary thought and visualisation, as well as the need for the expansion of inclusive communication, not only between art and the observer, but between different media as well.

Considering current political situation and Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine, VV Foundation has decided to support artists and other creatives from Ukraine, offering PAiR residency space.

We strongly believe that this is the time to support Ukraine citizens in any possible way and exactly this is why we are inviting Ukrainian creatives to live and create in a supportive community in Pāvilosta. We will be able host up to 4 artists in March and 4 artists in April.

The PAiR residency offers a studio, living space, access to library and gallery, we will provide administrative support and, if necessary, materials, tools and research resources. The PAiR residency will cover travel costs to and from Pāvilosta, as well as accommodation. VV Foundation will also help with relocation, legal matters and all the related costs.

To apply please send CV and portfolio to info@vvfoundation.org

we #standwithukraine

In 2020 VV Foundation founded the first independent creative residency in Latvia called “PaiR”. It is a space for inventive encounters, where artists, researchers, and curators can develop their projects in a stimulating, distraction-free environment of interdisciplinary dialogue. A point of intersection between humans and nature, the local and the global, cutting-edge practices and age-old traditions, PAiR is a place where new meanings emerge via creative experiments and interdisciplinary knowledge-sharing. Diverse in terms of their backgrounds, interests and disciplines represented, our residents are outstanding professionals who share a common passion for creating new meanings — a passion that has driven VV Foundation since its inception. With the great support of Nordic Culture Point, PAiR open call residents have been working on new projects that are dedicated to researching Pāvilosta’s surroundings and its cultural-natural phenomena. Touching upon a variety of issues, including the organization and programming of artist residencies, the participants of discussion share their experience of working in residencies of various formats in different countries, they explain the limitations that they have to cope with, as well as the advantages and unexpected circumstances an art residency can provide. We especially focus on the question of how can we create an environment where artist presence and site-specific works of art can engage with the local community and how to incorporate the goals of the residency into the scope of one’s individual artistic tasks. Also, we specifically discuss the development of the new projects that artists have been developing during the residency.

Discussion moderator: Curator and art historian Līna Birzaka- Priekule

Participants, PAiR residents: Sabīne Šnē from Latvia, Sille Kima from Estonia and Rasmus Myrup from Denmark.

Introduction: The Director of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia Stefan Eriksson and the Founder of VV Foundation and PAiR residency Vita Liberte

From December 18, 2021 till February 18, 2022 a group show “∞”, in which different generations Latvian artists have turned to reflections of tradition and nature in their contemporary practice, will be on view at the PAiR gallery. In exhibition participates Maija Purgaile, Pēteris Sidars, Mareunrols and Hele, and the Pāvilosta weavers group “Lumstiņš”. Curator of the show is Hele.

Saule auda audeklīnu

Ezerīna malīnā:

Zelta šķiets, vara nītes,

Sudrabīna šautuvīte. 

(The sun wove a fabric 

On the shore of the lake: 

A reed of gold, copper heddles, 

A shuttle of silver.)

/Latvian folk song/

Latvian folk art is essentially rooted in observation of nature and natural processes. Cosmic rhythms, change of seasons, every natural event is woven in the form of patterns and motifs into various fabrics – belts, blankets, hair bands and towels. Many contemporary professional artists also draw from this same source of inspiration preserving the typical feature of the Latvian soul. This was the underlying principle in the work of the founder of Latvian professional textile art school Rūdolfs Heimrāts – in his creative work and in his work as a professor at the Art Academy of Latvia. Combination of the traditional and the contemporary is what became the foundation for the professional textile art in Latvia. Two artists participating in this exhibition – Pēteris Sidars and Maija Purgaile – also belong to the so-called school of Rūdolfs Heimrāts, which was formed during the period from the 60s to the 80s of the last century.

Since ancient times weaving has symbolically been associated with the great natural laws of existence. Even the smallest part, i.e. each warp yarn, each thread, is important and can give impetus to something greater, something unknown.

In the same way we begin to prepare for winter in spring, we also prepare for the next life during our lives. Could it be like the infinity, the rules of which we learn only after death, before our birth in a space of light somewhere in between, where time exists no more? Could it be that we can look back on all we have done, think it over, learn there and later even without a memory of it maybe keep a fragment of eternity unconsciously inside of us, growing in each life spiritually, becoming stronger and developing ourselves?

We are all like a filling yarn in the cosmos, strong or weak, with deeper values or without them, golden, silver or aluminium, or maybe even a synthetic yarn. We are all a part of this world, which is like a large fabric. During the time of each life we intertwine with other yarns and create something unique and wonderful. And we also are and will always be inseparable from the yarns of the earth and nature itself. Could the fabric become more beautiful and strong, if it is natural, formed under the light of the sun?

To sum it up I would like to quote Jānis Poruks, “At the heart of poetry (also art accordingly) is beauty and moral, not just simple, practical moral, bet particularly transcendent moral, which comes into being, when the man asks questions about reasons and purposes of the general will in nature… The role the Sun fulfils in macrocosm is the role fulfilled by love in microcosm. They both are creators, both are at the centre and everything revolves around them. Like the sun is everything to the world, so love gives the man the highest meaning..in a word, love is the spirit of the Sun itself.”

On December 18 and 19 open doors will take place at the PAiR residency from 11 AM till 5 PM.

Exhibition is supported by VV Foundation and Pāvilostas Local History Museum.

Exhibition of works by Leonhard Lapin, an Estonian artist, architect and theorist, will be on display at the PAiR Residence Gallery in Pāvilosta until 31 October 2021. 

The exhibition in the gallery hall features a series of graphic works by Lapin created in 1971, in collaboration with the artist’s wife, Sirje Runge, at the centre of which is bodily expression and a muted sense of eroticism. The laconic works reflect Lapin’s interest in the conceptual, the geometric and the abstract, as well as art styles such as pop art and readymade, which became relevant in L. Lapin’s work in the late 1960s. At the same time, the delicacy of the series of works and the precision similar to a drawing indicate the artist’s relationship with architecture.

It is exactly the 1970s that can be considered a turning point in Lapin’s work: while sex and eroticism remain taboo in the former Soviet Union, the Western world looks on avant-garde and eroticism art as a self-evident cultural unit. In the 1970s, Leonhard Lapin participated in several major group exhibitions around the world, including in the Vienna Graphics Biennial (1973, 1975), the Joan Miro Prize Exhibition (Barcelona, 1973), the Tokyo Print Biennial (1974), and the New York Print Biennial (1977).

Leonhard Lapin (1947) is an Estonian avant-garde artist, architect, writer, art and architecture theorist and designer. Lapin has created about 200 architectural projects and several thousand works of art of various techniques, as well as compiled 24 books on the theory of art and architecture. He has also published 16 collections of poetry under the pseudonym Albert Trapež. Leonhard Lapin has organised more than 100 exhibitions, including several major group projects around the world.

The exhibition is organised by the VV Foundation.

The gallery is located in a historic wooden building on E. Šneiders Square, built in 1901 and completely renovated in 2021. PAiR Residence in Pāvilosta is an international and interdisciplinary place for creative people – artists and other professionals – where time, space and other resources are provided for research, experimentation and professional development. The aim of the Residence is to promote the emergence of various new art forms based on world research and reflection, bringing together professionals from different fields and promoting intercultural cooperation, interdisciplinary knowledge and the promotion of such art studies that are related to a certain location.

PAiR residency invites art, culture and humanities professionals active in various fields and roles (artists, curators, researchers, thinkers, writers and others) exclusively from or based in Baltic and Nordic states to apply for its second open call. The residency program will take place from November 1 till December 30 2021 and will be dedicated to researching Pāvilosta’s surroundings and its cultural-natural dynamics. Animals, plants and other life forms exist in a permanent state of development and reproduction. The cycle of seasons features moments of growth and withdrawal whose succession might be looked at in association to creative or performative gestures and positions.

We welcome application proposals who develop and engage with agencies, practices and methods cultivating sustainable ways of being that draw from natural processes and rhythms. We aim at exploring the diverse socio-environmental landscape of Pāvilosta, engaging with its rich fauna and flora as well as its particular community and history. Structured as an open-ended process, PAiR welcomes the possibility of public presentation formats which would share the experience at the residency with others.

Two Latvian and two international professionals citizens of or based in Baltic and Nordic countries (countries included: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden) will be selected to participate in the residency program.

Applicants:
To apply, please email info@vvfoundation.org a single PDF containing a conceptual presentation of the project you would like to develop during the residency (no more than 5000 characters) with an indication on whether the specific project is research or process based and whether you require specific conditions and equipment (workshops, materials, etc.). Application should also include an indication of the desired residency period (from 1 up to 2 months), your portfolio and CV. All applications must be received no later September 20.
All residents are welcome to get involved in the PAiR residency educational program. Applications will be considered by the VV Foundation team, in collaboration with an expert from the culture field and residency curator João Laia.

PAiR covers:
PAiR residency offers a studio, living space, access to library and gallery, curatorial support (at least 2 organised studio visits), provides administrative support and, if necessary, workshops, materials, tools and research resources. PAiR Residency will cover the travel costs to and from Pāvilosta as well as accommodation and administrative support. Residents from the Nordic countries will also receive per diems.

Place and building:
PAiR residency is located on the coast of the Baltic Sea in Pāvilosta. The 500 km long coastline has played an important role in Latvia’s geography, culture and politics and has affected the habits and traditions of local inhabitants. PAiR is located in a 42-hectare area of Grey Dune, the largest dune in Latvia. The residency is situated in a historic wooden building, built in 1901 and fully restored in 2021. The building includes four separate rooms for residents, two studios for creative work, library with several workspaces, an art gallery, as well as a weaving studio used by Pāvilosta local weavers. Each separate room will be supplied with all necessary facilities. There is a shared kitchen and dining room in the building.

Covid 19:
PAiR follows Covid-19 national and international regulations. VV Foundation will be in touch directly with each of the selected residents prior their arrival to the PAiR residency.

The PAiR Residency open call program is supported by Nordic Culture Point.

From 5 July till 15 August 2021, the exhibition LOGOS of the text group “Orbīta” will be on display at the PAiR Residence Gallery, in Pāvilosta, E. Šneidera laukums 11.

Windows as dictionaries, windows as logos. In its small, entirely summery work, which depends directly on the sun and its activity, the Orbit reflects the relationship between the inner and the outer as a dazzling interplay of word and meaning.

Text group “Orbīta” (Artūrs Punte, Vladimirs Svetlovs, Sergejs Timofejevs and Aleksandrs Zapoļs) is an association of poets, photographers, sound and multimedia artists, who have been involved in the cultural life of Latvia since 1999, creating performances and installations, publishing bilingual collections and organizing poetry video, contemporary art and multimedia exhibitions. In 2015, text group “Orbīta” participated in the exhibition “Ornamentālisms” (Ornamentalism) within the parallel program of the Venice Biennale with the installation “Divi soneti no Laputas” (Two Sonnets from Laputa), in 2016 the group went on a performance and reading tour in the USA, and were also among the participants of the first Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art. Text group “Orbīta” has received prizes in various book art competitions, the Annual Award of the Latvian Literature and has been nominated twice for Purvītis Prize.

Recent exhibitions and performances:

• “Two Sonnets from Laputa. Ornamentalism”, accompanying exhibition of the Venice Biennale (2015)
• “Actual Spacescape”, Cesis Art Festival (2016)
• Multimedia performance “Slow Show FM”: in New York, Washington, Montenegro, Turin, etc. (2016, 2017)
• “No kā rodas dzeja” (Where Poetry Comes From), gallery NOASS (2018), the exposition was nominated for the final of Purvītis Prize and included in an exposition dedicated to it at the Latvian National Museum of Art (2019)
• “Dzejas notikums” (Poetry Event), Survival Kit 10.1, (2019)
• “2020: mūžības perspektīvas” (2020: Perspectives on Eternity), National Library of Latvia, (2020)
• “Viļņu vērošana” (Wave Watching), gallery LOW, 2020
• “Sunim bija aizdomas” (The Dog Had Suspicion), The Smallest Gallery in Riga, 2021

“I once made an illegal public sculpture in Omaha center in the USA. It was planned as a typical symbol of Western culture – a red, geometrically abstract formation located in each city, remaining unnoticed by everyone. It worked well, even the landowner, who had noticed it, only ordered it to be removed a month later. In the meantime, I watched the sculpture every night as I wanted to see what it was doing, when no one was around.” – Krišs Salmanis

The exhibition “Side View” by Krišs Salmanis is open from June 5 until July 1 at PAiR Gallery in Pāvilosta.

“The multi-dimensional art installation “Side view” by Krišs Salmanis balances on the border of pure truth and absurdity, constantly provoking the viewer to understand the meaning of the red “Western” sculpture. The work provokes a number of essentially logical questions that at first might seem too naive: what does the particular object symbolise? is it really possible that it went unnoticed for so long? and, if it went unnoticed, how is it possible to determine the sculpture’s interaction with the environment?

The different dimensions of the work are revealed through these issues, which offer different views, viewing opportunities and beliefs. Art is a “place” for discussion, because it does not provide only one correct answer, therefore the illegal placement of a sculpture in a public space, in this case, does not speak of the artist as a rule breaker, who dares to challenge the viewer’s feelings (according to the formula “what actually is art”). “Side view” is rather proof of the hyperbolisation of humanism in egocentrism and how little we really are interested in delving deeper into the surrounding environment, processes, and stories. It is no longer about ignoring art, or displaying it in “places not intended for it” (because, what actually is a place not intended for art?) – it is about the simple ability of holding attention.

The installation of such a work is challenging in itself, but it is even more challenging to maintain the neutrality of the sculpture, allowing it to be “invisible”. Here it is – the provocation. Balancing on the border of truth and the absurd actually means the organic fusion, where the absurd proves the truth and vice versa. When looking at the “Side View”, a thought unwittingly creeps into one’s mind – has it all really been like this? Only the artist knows that.” – Auguste Petre

A short talk by curator Auguste Petre with artist Krišs Salmanis about the work “Side View”

What was it that mainly prompted you to create an environmental art work that no one would pay attention to?

I once made a small animation about a monument to the liberators of the Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German fascist invaders. I had some problems with the monument, until I imagined that the monument also felt uncomfortable due to the ideology it carried. Maybe it simply wants to be an example of modernism and sometimes dances in silence.
I continued to pay attention to public art until I decided to make one myself at the US residence.

Why do you think it is that people do not notice changes in their environment?

I think they do notice them. It’s just that everyone has their own interests. I never notice any price changes, others do not pay attention to sculptures, but they notice the plants that have germinated or blossomed. I once figured out an exercise and tried to look at the things between the objects that are first caught by the eye. Next to the advertising post, between the windows, behind the sunglasses, above the second floor.

What is the role of the orchestra and music in your work?

I assigned each musician to play the role of one joint. When watching the animation of the sculpture, the musician had to play only when the assigned joint was moving. The sculpture was both the score and the conductor. Therefore, not only me, but ten more people had to look at it very closely. And it turned out that I am not the most attentive after all. Elīna Endzele noticed moments of sound, that had slipped past me.

What did you reveal in your observations – what did the sculpture do, when no one was around?

If I understood correctly, it stretched out, played the classic “You talkin’ to me?” scene and ran to the nearby nightlife area. It later dragged itself back. Almost no one came up to me during the observation. One woman could not understand, why I should try to make a work of art out of a sculpture, if it is already a work of art. And the arriving police crew retreated without a word, when I invited them to the open day at the art centre.

Can art exist without a spectator?

It seems to me that even in works, where art is intended to exist only when a relationship with the viewer is formed, the first relationship is formed by the idea and its creator. The author of the work is almost inevitably the first evaluator of the work, therefore art cannot even occur without a viewer. After that, the “real” viewers can also enrich the author’s understanding of what has been done, but a work is still art work, if it remains locked in the basement of a bank. It would be interesting to think of a way of how to make a work of art, so that not only could nobody see it, but it could not even be evaluated, and it would remain unseen.

The work has been created within the residency programme of the Art Center Bemis (USA).The animation can be viewed together with a video of the performance of LNSO musicians conducted by the sculpture. The recording features Jānis Porietis (flugelhorn), Elīna Endzele (percussion), Kaspars Majors (tenor trombone), Mikus Runka (French horn), Artūrs Bērziņš (bass trombone), Raivis Māgurs (tuba), Egils Upatnieks (English horn), Mareks Pinta (bass clarinet), Jānis Semjonovs (bassoon), Reinis Burkins (contrabassoon). Sound director – Varis Kurmiņš.

This summer the PAiR residency has opened its doors in Pārvilosta, and while the first residents are already working on their projects, the residency garden is being created in collaboration with the garden art company Galantus.

We invite you to take a look at the first visualisations of the garden in the making!

VV Foundation announces the inaugural PAiR residency open call for art, culture and humanities professionals active in various fields and roles – artists, curators, researchers, thinkers, writers and others – from Nordic and Baltic states. The PAiR open call program will take place from August 30 until October 31 2021 and will be dedicated to researching Pāvilosta’s surroundings and its cultural-natural phenomena. Animals, plants and other life forms exist in a permanent state of development and reproduction. The cycle of seasons features moments of growth and withdrawal, whose succession could be contemplated in association with creative or performative gestures and positions.

PAiR welcomes application proposals, which develop and engage with agencies, practices and methods, cultivating sustainable ways of being that draw from natural processes and rhythms. We aim to explore the diverse socio-environmental landscape of Pāvilosta, engaging with its rich fauna and flora, as well as its community and history. Structured as an open-ended process, PAiR welcomes the possibility of public presentation formats which would share the experience of the residency with others. PAiR offers the participation for two Latvian and two international professionals.

João Laia will collaborate with the residency program, selecting the residents of this first open call program and consulting the research and project development. João Laia is the chief curator for exhibitions at Kiasma – National Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki. Laia holds an MA in film studies from King’s College, London, and an MA in film curating from the London Consortium. He also participated in the post-graduate research program CuratorLab at Konstfack, Stockholm, and a curatorial residency program at the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin. He has a background in social sciences, film theory and contemporary art.

“We are extremely happy to announce João Laia as associate curator for PAiR 2021. He has an established experience in the region, including the recent 14th Baltic Triennial. Laia will also foster new intersections looking towards connecting the Baltic with the Nordic Countries. We really look forward to collaborating with João Laia!”
(Vita Liberte, Founder, VV Foundation).

Pāvilosta Residency is an international interdisciplinary place of residence for creative people that provides artists-in-residence and other creative professionals with time, space and material resources for research, experimenting and professional development. The residency is willing to promote the emergence of various new, world-exploring and reflective art forms, bringing together specialists from different fields, in order to develop intercultural cooperation, interdisciplinary knowledge and promotion of location-related artistic research.

Applicants:
To apply, please send a single PDF by e-mail info@vvfoundation.org containing a conceptual presentation of your project (no more than 5,000 characters) with an indication about whether the specific project is research or process based and whether you require specific conditions and equipment (workshops, materials, etc.), as well as an indication of the desired residency period (ranging from 1 up to 3 months), your portfolio and CV. All applications must be received by no later than June 30.

All residents are welcome to get involved in the PAiR residency educational programme. Applications will be considered by the VV Foundation team, in collaboration with an expert from the field of culture and the residency curator João Laia.

PAiR covers:
The PAiR residency offers a studio, living space, access to library and gallery, curatorial support (at least two organised studio visits), provides administrative support and, if necessary, workshops, materials, tools and research resources. The PAiR Residency will cover the travel costs to and from Pāvilosta, as well as accommodation, administrative support and per diems.

Building:
The building includes four separate rooms for residents, two studios for creative work, a library with several workspaces, an art gallery, as well as a weaving studio where Pāvilosta local weavers work. Each individual room will be supplied with all the necessary facilities. The building has a shared kitchen and dining room.

Covid 19:
PAiR follows Covid-19 national and international regulations. VV Foundation will be in touch directly with each of the selected residents prior their arrival to the PAiR residency.

The residency programme is supported by: