A cycle of 12 exhibitions "The Self. The History of Latvian Contemporary Art" was hosted (from October 2014 to October 2015) by the National Library of Latvia (NLL) in collaboration with the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation, expanding the programme presented by the NLL’s Art and Music Centre.
During the cycle of exhibitions comprising the project "The Self. The History of Latvian Contemporary Art", works by masters of Latvian contemporary art were on display, primarily drawn from the collection of the Latvian National Museum of Art. Exhibited alongside them were works by current artists, aspects of whose creative output thematically or stylistically resonates with the art of the relevant master. The exhibition cycle was based on the "The Self. Personalities on the Road to Contemporary Art - the 1960s-1980s in Soviet Latvia" (compiled by Helēna Demakova).
"This unique cycle of exhibitions is closely linked to the library’s core mission – to provide the opportunity alongside works of art to discover a broad range of literature: books, exhibition catalogues and encyclopaedia entries about the exhibition’s artists," stresses the Head of the NLL’s Art and Music Centre, Ilze Egle.
"The future vector of this project is newly created works of art and literature collated in book format about the artists participating in the exhibitions. We can anticipate lots of surprises, both in terms of works of art and theoretical musings. In total, this cycle of 12 exhibitions ostensibly forms a single art exposition, which will culminate in a serious catalogue, which should demonstrate the interaction between art heritage and the present day," notes the curator of the exhibition cycle and the person who came up with the idea for the exhibition cycle, Helēna Demakova.
Under the auspices of the exhibition cycle, every day the NLL Art and Music Centre presented the Platforma Film studio’s recently produced films on Latvian contemporary art greats (Director: Ilze Šņore, Director and Director of Photography: Ilona Bērziņa, Cameramen: Artūrs Lapinskis and Inese Tīkmane, Editing Engineer: Jānis Ērglis, Producer: Pāvils Raudonis), as well as film tapes about masters of contemporary art.
The exhibition cycle took place with the support of the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation and the State Culture Capital Foundation, in close collaboration with the Latvian National Museum of Art, the Mūkusala Art Salon and the "Art Needs Space" foundation. The project was conceived and is curated by Helēna Demakova, supported by a working group comprised of: Brigita Zelča-Aispure, Aivija Everte, Ilze Egle, Ingrīda Peldekse, Katrīna Teivāne-Korpa and Dace Gasiņa.
Exhibition cycle "The Self. The History of Latvian Contemporary Art":
1st exhibition: Auseklis Baušķenieks, Liene Mackus
2nd exhibition: Maija Tabaka, Maija Kurševa
3rd exhibition: Boriss Bērziņš, Barbara Gaile, Brigita Zelča-Aispure
4th exhibition: Imants Lancmanis, Aigars Bikše
5th exhibition: Egons Spuris, Inta Ruka, Kaspars Podnieks
6th exhibition: Bruno Vasiļevskis, Krišs Salmanis, Arturs Bērziņš
7th exhibition: Miervaldis Polis, Vilnis Vītoliņš, Ieva Rubeze
8th exhibition: NSRD, Krista Dzudzilo, Līga Marcinkeviča
9th exhibition: Māris Ārgalis, Ieva Iltnere, Armands Zelčs, Katrīna Neiburga, Zane Tuča
10th exhibition: Leonards Laganovskis, Oļegs Tillbergs, Gints Gabrāns, Evelīna Deičmane
11th exhibition: Aija Zariņa, Andris Breže, Kristaps Ģelzis, Andris Eglītis, Miķelis Fišers
12th exhibition: Ojārs Pētersons, Indriķis Ģelzis, Sarmīte Māliņa, Ēriks Božis.
