“The aim of the exhibition is to give a snapshot of Latvian contemporary art by taking a brief look at the history of contemporary art since 1990 and the current tendencies in art in Latvia: the so called “reporting” trend, formalism and neo-conceptualism. The layout of the exhibition is chronological,” explains Ieva Kalniņa, the curator of the exhibition.
The name of the exhibition – Love Is Never-Ending – is taken from a 2008 work by Sarmīte Māliņa and Kristaps Kalns which will be included in the exhibition. The artists created this piece as an ironic nostalgic reflection on the past in which banal old objects – bedroom furniture and its components – are turned into impressive minimalistic compositions. This work can be interpreted as a contemporary take on the vanitas theme. It thus has a deeper meaning: the triumph of eternity over secular life which symbolises the purpose of creating any true work of art. The exhibition created especially for Belarus will also have the same focus.
More than twenty artists will be represented at the exhibition: Jānis Avotiņš, Arnis Balčus, Kristians Brekte, Evelīna Deičmane, Ivars Drulle, Andris Eglītis, Miķelis Fišers, Gints Gabrāns, Kristaps Ģelzis, Helēna Heinrihsone, Ginters Krumholcs, Kristīne Kursiša and Miks Mitrēvics, Imants Lancmanis, Sarmīte Māliņa and Kristaps Kalns, Ģirts Muižnieks, Katrīna Neiburga, the Open art bureau, the Orbita group, Miervaldis Polis, RIXC, Inta Ruka, Krišs Salmanis, Guntars Sietiņš, Oļegs Tillbergs and Aija Zariņa.
The exhibition forms part of the Latvian EU Council Presidency cultural programme which has contemporaneity, uniqueness and excellence as its core values. Belarus was chosen as one of the venues for this programme as it is one of the EU Eastern Partnership countries. The events in Minsk also include the Latvian film days, a concert by the Latvian Radio Choir and the Sinfonietta Riga Chamber Orchestra, the Amber – Jewel of the Baltic Sea and Aspazija/Rainis: rebel/humanist exhibitions, and a donation of Latvian books to the National Library of Belarus.
