The urban environment installation “Monument Wars”

 

Riga, 27.03.2014 – 26.10.2014

The urban environment installation “Monument Wars”, created by the artist Aigars Bikše, was unveiled on the intersection of Brīvības iela and Elizabetes iela in the center of city as one of an official event of the European Capital of Culture, Riga 2014 . The installation comprises a dark pedestal from which a different monument emerges every few minutes, symbolising the various periods in the history of Riga and the foreign powers that have altered the culture of the city. Poland and Christianity are symbolised by the Virgin Mary with Jesus in her hands, the soviet period and revolution – by a copy of Gustavs Klucis’ work, the German rule – by a statue of Emperor William I, and Sweden – by a piece of folk art, a black Barbie dressed up as a Swedish maiden.

 

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Master class by artist Nishi Masaaki

Riga, 3.09. – 6.09.

For young Latvian sculptors together with Nishi Masaaki explored the question of urban art in the context of contrast comprising two elements – the natural and the man-made. As one of results was big pit called “School of stories” in the city center, which children and youngsters were invited to visit discover “cultural layers” as well to see objects as bones and minerals found during excavations.

 

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Workshop and Panel discussion “Public Technologies”

 

 

“Science and technologies in the name of art?”

Venue: Art Academy of Latvia (Kalpaka boulevard 13), room 19
Date: January 19 – 20, 2012


Does there is a connection or link between science, technologies and art?
From 20th century and in the last decade artists frequently chooses not to use traditional materials as their means of expression, but gives a priority to an untraditional media for their own ideas and aims to become a reality, inter alia comes science and technologies.
Does the use of science and technologies achievements in visual arts can create an artistic high-quality Art or the artwork becomes just an illustration of scientific experiment and loses its connection with it?  Artists are using the achievements of science and technologies in their interests, but is there any feedback possible, which artists are giving and may give in further future for its evolution encouragement?
The questions related to art frequently are developed and solved in small coteries of art, connoisseurs, theoreticians and artist scopes. However we are willing to contribute a wider dialogue between different experts of different industries, thus amplifying a viewpoint and a vision diversity regarding on relationship between art and accordingly industries.
Thereby artists, scientists, students and other coteries are invited to participate in a two day event programme with a purpose to try to solve previously asked questions with mutual interaction, influence and use of art, science and technologies.

 

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EPAC “on air”!

 

Duration: September 17, 2011 – October 17, 2011

Opening: September 17, 2011, 7 p.m.

Place: Kaļķu square, Old Riga, LV – 1050

 

The first public art exhibition held across eight countries in Europe focuses on relations between art, science and society.  As the LV representative, award-winning artist, Gints Gabrāns, will present his artwork, ‘THE NERVES’, for the first time in September 17, 2011.

European Public Art Centre – EPAC is programme which consists of eight multipurpose outdoor exhibition spaces established in eight participating countries (Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Poland, United Kingdom and Iceland), first exhibition in the centre – Public Technologies simultaneously taking place in all countries involved and focussing on collaboration between art and science, workshops Art/Science/Technologies, roundtable discussion Art Technologies, seminar Public Technologies and launch of network CAST (Contemporary Art, Science and Technologies).

The primary aim of programme European Public Art Centre – EPAC is to found the first public art centre in Europe that exists and have permanent physical exhibition spaces in most European countries, to foster interdisciplinary contemporary culture and particularly collaboration between art and science, to create experimental visual art projects in public space that seek innovative solutions for breaking down elitism in artistic and cultural space through openness and accessibility, to involve passive segments of society in cultural processes and the integration of Europe's cultures.

 

Within the framework of the exhibition „Public Technologies” the light sculpture called “The Nerves” (which has been made from optical fibre in combination with powerful light-laser) will be presented by artist Gints Gabrāns.  "‘THE NERVES’ – impulses in different colours: red, blue, violet, yellow, etc., are transmitted through the optical fibre with such speed that is so high, that we are not capable to detect these impulses as separated tones – they become invisible and changes into a calmly floating white light. There are about 11’200’000 different colour, intensity and length impulses transmitted per second. This number is equal to the amount of bits that whole human nerve system can abstract. By comparison our consciousness can process only 10 – 60 bits per second," says the artist about his work.

 

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