How would art look after a slow global catastrophe? How does Elzas Sīles 1m2 micro worlds of 3D paint structures look when expanded to 1500m2?
Built as an immersive platform hosting around 200 units of art, this exhibition is the largest ever gathering of Sīles artistic oeuvre in a public space. The exhibited works form a maze where a viewer is guided by “Menus” – a guide consisting of text notes (“language units”) and tiny drawings.
Imagine a world after a slow global catastrophe where survivors of the human rase would be producing new kinds of devotional objects under a condition of regained fear in the face of magnificently violent forces of nature. The exhibition is formed around an artistic speculation that looks into such questions as – how much of the pre-catastrophe knowledge would be surviving without the currently available information storage technology and what would survive of the currently existing art practices and appearances in the production and aesthetics of these new objects of hope?
Elza Sile was born 1989, in Riga and lives in Zurich. In 2019, Sile graduated from ZHdK Zurich. Recent solo exhibitions include at PHILIPPZOLLINGER (Zurich, 2024); Embajada (Puerto Rico, 2023); KIM? Contemporary Art Center (Riga, 2022); PHILIPPZOLLINGER (Zurich, 2021); unanimous consent (Zurich, 2020) and Kulturfolger Zürich (2020). She has participated in numerous two-person and group shows, such as at DS Galerie, Paris (2024), Kunsthalle Zürich (2023), Edition_VFO (2023), Diez (Amsterdam, 2023); MUSEO VILLA DEI CEDRI, BELLINZONA (2023), Kunsthaus Grenchen (2023), Jenny’s (New York, 2022); Centre d’art Pasquart (Biel, 2022); Haus Konstruktiv (Zurich, 2022); Misako & Rosen (Tokyo, 2022); KIM? Contemporary Art Center (Riga, 2020); Kunsthalle Zurich (2020); Hamlet (Zurich, 2020) and Galerie Kirchgasse (Steckborn, 2020). In 2020, Sile was a receipiant of the Werkschau Prize Zurich and in 2021, of the art stipend City of Zurich. In 2022, Sile completed a residency at ISCP New York and in 2023 at San Juan 721, Puerto Rico
Elza Sīle
Bunny‘s Banja / Fear and Trembling
(“Zaķīšu pirtiņa / bailes un trīsas“)
(guest artists Yusuke Muroi and Yuka Hotta, Japan)
Curator: Doļfina
Riga Contemporary Art Space
Elza Sile Bunnys Banja 2024, future of ever expanding migrating civilian camps, 100x120x60cm, oil on aluminium, callogen, acrylic. Photo: Ansis Starks
Lotus Eagle Ekadzati back 120x140x100cm, coated plaster bandage, oil paint, bamboo sticks, 2024. Photo: Ansis Starks
Bunnys Banja, Elza Sile, book-bird-manger-shelves, 2024. Photo: Ansis Starks
Elza Sile, Devotianal intentionalities, 2024. Photo Ansis Starks:
Elza Sile 2024, in presence of downturn the good must be more powerful, installation. Photo: Ansis Srarks
Elza Sile 2024, The tents and the crosses but not the old ones to appear. Photo: Ansis Starks
Elza Sile Bunny’s Banja at Riga Contemporary Art Space 2024, 300x120cm, aluminium. Photo: Juris Strangots
Elza Sile Bunny’s Banja at Riga Contemporary Art Space 2024, oil on aluminium, 300x120cm. Photo: Juris Strangots
Elza Sile Bunny’s Banja at Riga Contemporary Art Space 2024, oil on aluminium. Photo: Juris Strangots
Elza Sile, Lotus Eagle front_120x140x100cm, coated plaster bandage, oil paint, bamboo sticks, 2024. Photo: Ansis Starks
Elza Sile, Tokyo-San Juan-CDMX merge, 250x90cm, acrylic paint and collagen on coated plaster bandage, bamboo stick, 2024. Photo: Ansis Starks
Installation view. Photo: Ansis Starks
Elza Sile 2024, even if you would wish to conduct partisan war it will be not possible anymore. Photo: Anais Starks
Elza Sile 2024, I bet it will be matriarchat. Photo: Ansis Starks
Infinite fields, Bunnys Banja installation view. Photo: Ansis Starks
Infinite fields, Riga Contemporary Art Space. Photo: Ansis Starks
Yuka Hotta painting C-149. Photo: Ansis Starks
Yuka Hotta paintings 2024. Photo: Ansis Starks
Yuka Hotta paintings. Photo: Ansis Starks
Limbus Yusuke Muroi, 2024
Limbus Yusuke Muroi, 2024
Limbus Yusuke Muroi, 2024
Natrix Natrix, Levitating V shape on sushi snake skin manger siliites, installation. Photo Ansis Starks
Offerings close up. Photo: Ansis Starks
Installation view. Photo: Ansis Starks
Ports&Portals installation. Photo: Ansis Starks
Ports&Portals installation. Photo: Ansis Starks
Sparks of vision and consciousness, installation. Photo: Ansis Starks
The good must be more powerful, installation. Photo: Ansis Srarks
The light and the warmth and the power and beauty of the Good. Photo: Ansis Starks
The tents and the crosses but not the old ones will come. Photo: Ansis Starks
Installation view. Photo: Ansis Starks
