The idea of utopia and its variations are a topic often discussed and represented in art and culture and used to create new potential world structures; a place that does not exist, a place of prosperity, a concept striving for a better future, a place where an ideal model of society and daily life exists. The perspectives from which the concept of utopia can be viewed are boundless and can be positive, analytical, or critical. Utopia is thus a subjective perception of the world that exists outside the usual dimensions of time and space. It can simultaneously be real, affected by social and political authority, or an imagined and transient fantasy made up by an individual. This is a common idea explored in theory and practice that often contextualises potential models of society – there are endless examples where utopia has become a cause or overture for cultural research and visual art exhibitions. However, the topic remains inexhaustible and open to different contexts, probably because it is inherently impossible to concretise utopia or subject it to long-term planning.
Regardless of differing opinions about the meaning of utopia, its actual location (in time and space), or visual representation, this topic is most often viewed in the context of the future and in relation to the pursuit of perfection – in any sense of the word. In recent years, rapid changes in social structures that have been brought about by local and global politics, a new wave of social activism, and the vulnerability of the epidemiological situation have led to a rethinking of time and how the scale of human desires (imagination) responds to reality.
Participants: Annemarija Gulbe (LV), Aksel Haagensen (EE), Hele (LV), Madara Kvēpa (LV), Zanda Puče (LV)
Curator: Auguste Petre (LV)
Image: Aksel Haagensen, Chronicles of Trap, installation and digital print on paper, 2022
April 29 – May 21| Smilga Culture Space, 34a Eduarda Smiļģa iela, Riga. Opening hours: Wed-Sat, 12:00-19:00. Free entrance.
