On 4 July, the exhibition ‘Random Existence’ by the young Latvian artist Alvīne Bautra opened at the Meno Parkas gallery (Rotušės a. 27, Kaunas). Bautra graduated in 2019 with an MFA degree in painting from the Art Academy of Latvia. ‘Random Existence’ is her first solo show since her graduation. I spoke with Bautra about her work, and about her experience of being a recent young art graduate from Latvia working cross-border with art institutions in the Baltics.
Marija Griniuk: What is painting to you?
Alvīne Bautra: I think painting has become my lifestyle. It’s also one of my favourite art forms, which I like to see in other artists’ exhibitions as well.
MG: When I was looking at online information about your work, I found certain words such as overthinking and nothingness. What is your philosophy behind these terms?
AB: I will explain each of these terms. To expand on the meaning of the term overthinking, it means thinking about several ideas at the same time, and not being able to come a conclusion. I think it’s similar to my paintings. In my pictures, for example, I have several layers of overlapping faces. I think my term overthinking is connected to the process of painting, how a picture is built and painted. Regarding the term nothingness, I find inspiration in the everyday situation of boredom, when there is nothing much to do. When I try to escape boredom, I immerse myself in creative ideas and painting.
MG: What themes have you been working on in your paintings? What is currently your main area of interest?
AB: In my paintings, human beings have always been the main subject. I knew since the very beginning of my painting practice that I wanted to paint people, because I found them interesting. The current theme of my paintings is psychological portraits. I aim to uncover the secret life behind the face. I like to use the titles of my paintings as key words for each of them, but I also like to leave room for interpretation by the viewer. During my MFA studies, I began to work with a new theme, whereby I painted monochrome steamed-up window surfaces. The theme for this series was anonymity and alienation. It was something new to me, because I have never really considered painting a series of landscapes. For the future, I am considering making a series of figurative paintings, or maybe even to try something abstract.
MG: What is the overall idea behind your exhibition ‘Random Existence’ at the Meno Parkas gallery in Kaunas?
AB: ‘Random Existence’ shows human beings in the process of dissolving into an empty space. In my paintings, I present overlapping faces and body parts which seem to slip away, while the characters’ presence is rooted in the moment their glance meets the viewer head-on. In order to exist, a person needs a body, and it is seen by everyone. The body moves, and movement is a metaphor for the diverse and multi-layered human nature, and the uncertainty of being.
MG: As a painter, it seems you choose oil painting as your favourite form of expression. Oil painting is a long-durational and time-consuming process of creation. Why is it important to you?
AB: I have some smaller portraits as well, which are painted in acrylics. Oil paint has the benefit that it does not dry very quickly, and I often use it for large-format paintings. I have been working with oil paints for many years. I recently became more interested in acrylic. I started a new series of works, which is my arena for the exploration of the medium.
MG: You graduated from the Art Academy of Latvia this year with an MFA. What is it like to enter the professional scene as a professional artist, and what are your expectations?
AB: I really enjoyed studying at the Art Academy: it provided me with good academic skills, and I feel that I can paint what I want to paint. Now, after graduating, I feel somehow more free. I don’t know yet how my career will proceed, but I’m hopeful when I look to the future. I feel positive!
MG: You’re exhibiting at the Meno Parkas gallery in Kaunas, which for you is a cross-border Baltic collaboration. Are you interested in working with Baltic art institutions, and if so, why?
AB: I think it is interesting to collaborate with art institutions in the Baltics. I had a personal interest in cross-border work as a student as well. I spent one semester as an Erasmus exchange student at the Estonian Academy of Art in Tallinn, and now I am collaborating with the Meno Parkas gallery in Kaunas. I’m very interested in Lithuanian and Estonian art. It’s interesting to see what my colleagues in neighbouring countries are doing, because the art community in Latvia is small, and I know the artists and what they are doing. I’ve seen it. As a young Latvian artist, working with art institutions in Lithuania and Estonia gives me a better impression of the region.
MG: What do you think of the tendency among young Latvian artists to collaborate with cross-border art institutions, if there is any tendency?
AB: I have recently noticed that many of my artist friends are going to Berlin. For a while, I was very interested in Berlin as a metropolis of art, and in its environment; but maybe I have lost that interest at the moment. I think there are many interesting things happening around the Baltics, and Berlin is not the only place to go.
MG: Last year, Riga had the first Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art, or RIBOCA. What were your impressions? Did the event have an impact on contemporary young Latvian artists? What did RIBOCA give you as a young artist?
AB: I really liked RIBOCA. I’m happy that it took place. It gave a better impression of what artists in other countries are doing. You usually need to go to art events in Berlin or London, or to the Venice Biennale, for example, to see the wider picture of global contemporary art. In the case of RIBOCA, it came to Riga.
MG: Is it easy for young artists in Latvia to reach out to institutions that are located in Lithuania or Estonia? Do you feel the Baltic art environment is open to a cross-border dialogue with young artists? Is it easy for a young artist to take the first step? And if not, what are the main challenges?
AB: When I had my first contact with the Meno Parkas gallery, I sent my portfolio. They informed me that the application process was via a contest, so I participated in the contest, and they offered me exhibition space. I think that generally, for a young Latvian artist, it’s not so easy to get through to art institutions like art galleries, either in Latvia or in other Baltic countries. But I think it depends on each artist, and the challenges are very individual. I think many artists at the beginning of their careers think that a curator or a gallery will discover them. This happens to some artists; but I think if an artist is ready to have an exhibition, they should look for a gallery or an institution themselves, because otherwise they might be waiting many years …
MG: Do you have any particular recommendations for young artists who might be interested in collaborating with projects or exhibition spaces in Riga? Are there many art spaces that focus on emerging artists?
AB: There are quite a few places that work with young artists. There has recently been a noticeable growth in new artist-run spaces in Riga. Examples could be the Tallinn Street Quarter art space and the Look (on instagram Look. It’s a gallery), Low, 427 and Careva Gallery galleries.
The exhibition ‘Random Existence’ by Alvīne Bautra at the Meno Parkas gallery is on until 27 July 2019.
Photography: Marija Griniuk
