TUR_telpa, space for contemporary art in Riga, Latvia, releases photo documentation from “Voices in my Heads” by artist Rūdolfs Štamers which ran between June 1st and July 1st, 2023 as part of the exhibition series “Monumental Encounters.”
TUR_telpa is pleased to release the photos from the exhibition “Voices in my Heads” which ran between the 1st of June and the 1st of July at their space on Tallinas ielas Kvartāls and welcomed nearly 1700 visitors. They were taken by photographer, Filips Smits.
Rūdolfs Štamers space engulfing installation was an invitation for the viewer into the voices in his heads. His heads being his experiences with the different personalities residing inside him; and the voices referring to the dual influences he faces in his life and practice. On the one hand, the inspirational impact of his peers, other artists, his interest in readymades and the materials he encounters. On the other hand, the darker and more sinister influence of his pessimistic thoughts caused by personal artistic crises exacerbated by the depressing global events of the times in which we live. At TUR_telpa he brought together the impressions his various personalities encounter in the form of large scale sculptural paintings made of repurposed advertising banners extending from corner to corner, up and down across the exhibition space and interlaced with his ready made sculptures, interventions and other sensory elements like sound and smell. In the characteristic typical of Štamers, he created a surrealistic ambiance where all the senses are engaged, playing with a dreamlike aura that invites the visitor into a daydream about our subconscious cravings. The orchestrated chaos was amplified through the interventions of several of his artistic inspirations, works by Sabine Vernere, Uģis Albinš and OFF ME ON (Diana Payton) interacted with the installation, creating harmony and dissonance depending on the perspective from which they were perceived. The visitor completed the installation – their presence creating yet another one of the many “voices in my heads.”
Riga born artist Rūdolfs Štamers currently lives and works mainly in Paris, France but maintains strong ties to his home city. He is, along with Uldis Trapencieris, one of the founders of TUR_telpa and still a driving force behind its continued success. He is a graduate of the Art Academy of Latvia (LMA) and holds a masters in sculpture from the Royal Academy of Fine arts in Antwerp, Belgium.
Although in his works he likes to use industrial and raw materials, his themes are often fragile and sensitive. Štamers works with the space between the real and the dream world, using states of mind as instruments. He reflects on the unconscious sensations invoked when encountering lust, fear, amazement etc. His installations, revolving around lust, love and unattainable desires, are often based in fictional scenarios and absurd situations. Emotions and mental states are juxtaposed through the use of construction materials from home depot stores mixed with composite materials, paint and found object elements.
TUR_telpa is an independent art space that values experimentation and process-based art. Since 2020, TUR_telpa has become an important contemporary art space in Riga, organizing contemporary art exhibitions as well as concerts, performances and poetry readings. Three of the exhibitions have been nominated for the Purvītis Prize, most recently “Lapa uz lapas” by Maija Kurševa from April this year. The other nominated exhibitions were “O” by Sabine Verners who is also contributing to this coming show, and Kristine Krause-Slucka’s solo exhibition “Forced Movements of the Past.” The three exhibitions of the summer series “Monumental Encounters” are curated by Dutch artist Edd Schouten in close collaboration with the artists and team at TUR_telpa. Currently on show is the exhibition “StiTcHeS of iTcHeS” by Anna Malicka which will run till August 5th. The space is open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday, from 17:00 to 22:00 and by appointment.
TUR_telpa is a non-profit art initiative supported by the Latvian State Culture Capital Foundation and Rigas Dome. For the latest news and events, please follow TUR_telpa’s Instagram (tur_telpa) and/or Facebook page (TUR)
TUR_telpa is organized by: Uldis Trapencieris, Rūdolfs Štamers, Edd Schouten and Kristīne Ercika
Curator: Edd Schouten
Production: Kristīne Ercika
Technical Support: Maksimilians Kotovičs
Graphic design: Estere Betija Grāvere
Photography: Filips Šmits and Rūdolfs Štamers
