Exhibition „Place where everything is better” researches the popular opinion in Latvia – life in Estonia is better than in Latvia – through the language of conceptual and visual art. Almost all studies about local situation in economy, politics and the awareness of citizenship indicate that the Republic of Estonia has better achievements. As a result in past 10 years Estonia and Estonians, which in the past were seen by Latvians as slow and ridiculed neighbours, have become the Land of Happiness with citizens who are always making the right choices. Of course, even if you see the actual statistical indicators, in reality most of it is a myth and stereotypes that Latvian media likes to involve in their publications.
The goal of the exhibition “Place where everything is better” is to review the opinion of Estonia being the Land of Happiness. The invited artists and art theorists – Vika Eksta, Gundega Evelone, Andris Landaus, Andris Maračkovskis, Santa Mičule, Edgars Ošs, Šelda Puķīte and Indrek Grigor, Krišs Salmanis, Ieva Saulīte, Zīle Ziemele – are creating works / texts / ideas, which will reject or support the assumption. Chosen artists have already touched socially sensitive topics in their creative activity and they have smartly reacted to the events in local political scene.
Special significance is the fact that the exhibition is organized in Valga, which is the border city of Latvia and Estonia – it is a symbol of perfect geographical point where to speak about the relationship of neighbouring states. Here it is possible to evaluate the differences in urban environment and attitude towards life, as well as to support or deny the idea of Estonia as the place where everything is better.
Agreeing with the myth of economically super-developed Estonia, thus agreeing with the myth of Latvia as the place where everything is bad, it is planned that the artists would create their work from ‘budget-friendly’ materials. Undeniably it gives bigger creative challenge, as well as liberates from the necessity of searching funding from culture funds of the Latvian state. Accordingly, there is no risk of becoming politically involved and it keeps the creative spirit free until the end.
Curator of exhibition: Gundega Evelone
Participants of exhibition: Gundega Evelone, Ieva Saulīte, Andris Landaus, Krišs Salmanis, Edgars Ošs, Zīle Ziemele, Santa Mičule.
The exhibition will be opened in 09.05.17. at 18:00 in the gallery of Valga Museum (Vabaduse 8, Valga).
The exhibition is supported by the project “One Hundred Poplars”. Exhibitions in Valga Museum gallery are supported by Estonian Culture Endowment and Valga city.