The largest annual contemporary art festival in the Baltics, Survival Kit, which is organised by Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, takes place in Riga from 23 May till 30 June. The international exhibition and events programme with the participation of 34 artists from Latvia and abroad is curated by Solvita Krese, Inga Lāce and Àngels Miralda.
Building on the first part of its programme, held at the Riga Circus in September 2018, the second part of Survival Kit 10 continues the festival’s investigation of the concept of outlands, questioning the traditional division of geopolitical and cultural space into centre and periphery and shedding light on the complex construction of identity. Personal stories and micro-experiences are the vehicles through which the festival seeks to examine broader societal issues, including the relationships between certain countries and the histories of entire regions. Geography and migration are taken up as core themes in the hope of revealing the complexities embedded within different local communities. The festival allows us to discover outlands as places and situations that, though they may be unknown or strange, at the same time have the potential to be locations from which alternative futures are imagined.
Survival Kit 10.1 artists: Amina Ahmed, Kasper Akhoj, Meric Algün, They Are Here, Judy Blum Reddy, Skuja Braden, Izolde Cēsniece, Onejoon Che, Sári Ember, Inga Erdmane, Cassius Fadlabi, Carla Garlaschi, Behzad Khosravi Noori, Romans Korovins, Inga Meldere / Maira Dobele, Adrian Melis, Santiago Mostyn, Kristina Norman, Orbita, Pınar Öğrenci, Mohammed Omer Khalil, Andrés Pereira Paz, Mai-Thu Perret, Bita Razavi, Janek Simon, Anastasia Sosunova, Andrejs Strokins / Deniss Hanovs, Diana Tamane, Vladimir Tomic, Alexey Yakovlev
Like every year, an empty building in Riga has been chosen as the venue of the festival, in order to draw attention to the potential of its future development. This time, it is the former Faculty of Physics, Mathematics and Optometry of the University of Latvia, which was built in 1888 and originally served as a German orphanage, and later – as a police academy.
Supporters of the festival: State Culture Capital Foundation, Riga City Council, British Council, Pro Helvetia, Foundation for Arts Initiatives, Frame Finland, Danish Arts Foundation, Nordisk Kulturfond, The Office for Contemporary Art Norway, Goethe Institut Riga
Partners: the Embassy of Hungary in Riga, Embassy of Finland, Riga, Two Wheels
About Survival Kit
Established in 2009, Survival Kit is the largest annual contemporary art event in the Baltics, attracting more than 10 000 visitors every year. It arose in reaction to the economic crisis in Latvia with the aim of calling on society to respond to changes in the contemporary world and consider various survival strategies. Each year, a socially relevant and important theme is selected for the festival. Empty buildings in Riga are used as festival venues, thus offering new development strategies in urban planning.
About Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art
The Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art (LCCA) is the largest institution of contemporary art in Latvia that curates and produces contemporary art events of national and international scale. As of 1993, it has researched and curated contemporary art processes both in Latvia and abroad to provoke critical reflection on issues topical for contemporary society. We are widely recognized for our annual international contemporary art festival SURVIVAL KIT, regular exhibitions at the Latvian National Museum of Art, as well as Latvia’s representation at the Venice Biennale, Manifesta, São Paulo Art Biennial, Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Rauma Biennale of Contemporary Art, etc.
Meriç Algün, Finding the Edge, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Meriç Algün, Finding the Edge, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Meriç Algün, Finding the Edge, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Meriç Algün, Finding the Edge, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Meriç Algün, Finding the Edge, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Adrián Melis, Covert Planning, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Adrián Melis, Covert Planning, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Alexey Yakovlev, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Alexey Yakovlev, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Amina Ahmed, Malikas – Pages from the Past, 1980s–90s, Re-visited in 2017, re-drawn 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Amina Ahmed, Malikas – Pages from the Past, 1980s–90s, Re-visited in 2017, re-drawn 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Anastasia Sosunova, Tainstvo, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Anastasia Sosunova, Tainstvo, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Andres Pereiras Paz, Manners and accessions: Izcue, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Andres Pereiras Paz, Manners and accessions: Izcue, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Behzad Khosravi-Noori, The Life of an Itinerant Through a Pinhole, 2015 – work in progress Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Behzad Khosravi-Noori, The Life of an Itinerant Through a Pinhole, 2015 – work in progress Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Behzad Khosravi-Noori, The Life of an Itinerant Through a Pinhole, 2015 – work in progress Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Behzad Khosravi-Noori, The Life of an Itinerant Through a Pinhole, 2015 – work in progress Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Bita Razavi, The Museum of Baltic Remont, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Bita Razavi, The Museum of Baltic Remont, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Bita Razavi, The Museum of Baltic Remont, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Bita Razavi, The Museum of Baltic Remont, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Carla Garlaschi, Pachacuti: Believe in Me, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Carla Garlaschi, Pachacuti: Believe in Me, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Carla Garlaschi, Pachacuti: Believe in Me, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Carla Garlaschi, Pachacuti: Believe in Me, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Cassius Fadlabi, Untitled, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Cassius Fadlabi, Untitled, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Cassius Fadlabi, Untitled, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Cassius Fadlabi, Untitled, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Diāna Tamane, Flower Smuggler, 2016–2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Diāna Tamane, Flower Smuggler, 2016–2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Inga Erdmane, Rerooted Snapshot, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Inga Erdmane, Rerooted Snapshot, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Inga Erdmane, Rerooted Snapshot, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Inga Erdmane, Rerooted Snapshot, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Izolde Cēsniece, I Don’t Know Where I Am, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Izolde Cēsniece, I Don’t Know Where I Am, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Izolde Cēsniece, I Don’t Know Where I Am, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Izolde Cēsniece, I Don’t Know Where I Am, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Izolde Cēsniece, I Don’t Know Where I Am, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Janek Simon, Synthetic Folklore, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Janek Simon, Synthetic Folklore, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Janek Simon, Synthetic Folklore, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Janek Simon, Synthetic Folklore, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Judy Blum Reddy, SELF + LIFE + TO WRITE, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Judy Blum Reddy, SELF + LIFE + TO WRITE, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Kasper Akhøj, Abstracta, 2007–2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Kristina Norman, Bring Back My Fire Gods, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Kristina Norman, Bring Back My Fire Gods, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Mai-Thu Perret, Totalisateur, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Inga Meldere and Maira Dobele, Avium Aquae (Aquatic Bird), 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Inga Meldere and Maira Dobele, Avium Aquae (Aquatic Bird), 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Inga Meldere and Maira Dobele, Avium Aquae (Aquatic Bird), 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Mohammed Omar Khalil, Season of Migration, I and II, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Onejoon Che, Mansudae Master Class, 2013–2016 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Onejoon Che, Mansudae Master Class, 2013–2016 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Orbīta, The Poetry Event, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Orbīta, The Poetry Event, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Pınar Öğrenci, A Gentle Breeze Passed Over Us, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Pınar Öğrenci, A Gentle Breeze Passed Over Us, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Pınar Öğrenci, A Gentle Breeze Passed Over Us, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Romāns Korovins, Garumzīme (“Length Mark”), 2018-2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Romāns Korovins, Garumzīme (“Length Mark”), 2018-2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Santiago Mostyn, The Warming Plateau, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Santiago Mostyn, The Warming Plateau, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Santiago Mostyn, The Warming Plateau, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Santiago Mostyn, The Warming Plateau, 2018 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Sári Ember, The Taste of Distance, 2013–2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Sári Ember, The Taste of Distance, 2013–2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Sári Ember, The Taste of Distance, 2013–2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Skuja Braden, Trans-Reflection , 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Skuja Braden, Trans-Reflection , 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Skuja Braden, Trans-Reflection , 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Skuja Braden, Trans-Reflection , 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Andrejs Strokins and Deniss Hanovs, Ņi riba, ņi mjaso, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Andrejs Strokins and Deniss Hanovs, Ņi riba, ņi mjaso, 2019 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
They Are Here, I’ll Bring You Flowers, 2012 – ongoing Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
Vladimir Tomic, Time We Lost, 2017 Photo: Margarita Ogoļceva, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2019
