From May 26, the Riga Photography Biennal – NEXT 2023 (RPB – NEXT 2023) group exhibition “Language of Flowers” will take place in the Artists’ Union of Latvia Gallery. It is curated by the head of Riga Photography Biennal, artist and curator Inga Brūvere, and Norwegian artist and curator Marie Sjøvold. The works of Lithuanian artist Ieva Maslinskaitė, Estonian artist Hedi Jaansoo, Latvian artist Agate Tūna and Norwegian artist Daniel Vincent Hansen will be on display at the exhibition. The exhibition will be opened on May 25 at 18:00 at the Artists’ Union of Latvia Gallery at the “Artists’ House” (“Mākslinieku nams”, address: 11 novembra krastmala 35, Rīga). It will be available to visitors every day, including holidays, from 12 PM to 6 PM until July 2.
“Language of Flowers” features reflections by four young artists, or four different quests after the true essence of things, with the artists withdrawing into themselves and carefully questioning the language of their creative medium of choice, i.e., photography. The artists, representing Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Norway, not only share an introspective drive, characteristic of all young people, as well as a desire to understand their position in the global landscape at large, but are also similar in the way they pursue it.
They address gnawing questions about their identity and place in the world with the method of a biologist poet. Their attitude suggests a desire to delve deep into things as well as a reverence for one’s surroundings, i.e., nature and culture and, on an individual and collective level, the history of their family and society. Their point of view invites changing the inveterate notions, which have predominated across centuries, of a world order in which everything revolves around the desires and is subjected to the needs of the species homo sapiens. In lieu of a ruthlessly consumptive way of life they have opted to listen to and cooperate with their surroundings, and that’s why they’re learning to speak “the language of flowers”.
Riga Photography Biennial’s NEXT program takes place every other year and is focusing on young artists and curators. In 2023, the events are tackling the “awkward” topics. Until June 18, Polish artist’s Michalina Kacperak’s solo exhibition “Soft Spot” is on show at the exhibition hall “Riga Art Space”. Until June 29, ISSP Gallery hosts the solo exhibition of the winner of RPB Award “Seeking the Latest in Photography!” – Ieva Baltaduonytė’s (LT) “Uprooted”. The other RPB Award – “Emerging Curator!” – is celebrated at the experimental art space of the Art Academy of Latvia “Pilot”. Up until July 15, it hosts “Time Found”, a group show curated by the award winner Laima Daberte (LV). From May 19 until the end of the biennial on July 23, Latvian Museum of Photography is open for visitors to see Diāna Tamane’s (LV/EE) solo show “Half-Love”. A special “pocket format” exhibition is featured in the annual biennial’s publication that is available at the event venues. “Safe Light” includes the works of nine young Ukrainian artists.
On June 3 at the ISSP Gallery, an international conference “Awkward Topics: Troubleshooting” will be held. In part of it, art theorists, critics, and artists from Ukraine, Lithuania, Slovakia, Poland, Denmark and Latvia together with conference curator Adam Mazur (PL) will explore how unpleasant phenomena such as burnout, depression, addiction, anxiety, guilt, toxic relationships, and all kinds of emotional breakdowns manifest themselves in photography.
For more information about the Riga Photography Biennial and the NEXT 2023 program, please visit the event’s website at www.rpbiennial.com
Supporters and partners:
State Culture Capital Foundation, Riga City Council, Artists’ Union of Latvia, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Nordic Council of Minister’s Office in Latvia, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Riga, Estonian Embassy in Riga, Rixwell Hotels, Valmiermuiža Brewery, Printing house “Adverts”, Arterritory.com, Echo Gone Wrong, Noba.ac, BLOK
