Starting from February 6th until March 6th 2010 the gallery space and the webpage www.artdepoo.com run a special program – big-time action-exhibition of Latvian and Estonian artists WE ARE FINE, featuring an auction of artists’ personal belongings!
Illustrative image for the flyer. Concept flirts with idea of traveling show, but in the same could illustrate the condition of economy, when things are being sold and purchased right from the car. A bit nostalgic image with footnote to early 90ties.
The show is dedicated to topics like collectors’ fetishism, curatorial subjectivity and the ongoing economical crisis. The curator of the show is an artist, doctoral student and a lecturer of Art Academy of Latvia Andris Vitolinš (Latvia).
Participating Estonian artists:
Marko Mäetamm, Sirli Hein, August Künnapu, Maarit Murka and Peeter Laurits.
Participating Latvian artists:
Andris Vitolinš, Vineta Kaulača, Inga Meldere, Daiga Kruze and Andris Eglītis.
The idea of the show is to bring together best artists from Latvia and Estonia and to discuss problems typical for our region. We want to inspire people to think for themselves, use their creativity and learn how to manage. The ambition is to organize a unique show by trying to exhibit the human/intimate side of the artist, actively deal with press to make it newsworthy, which has not happened for a while in the infotainment.
Exhibition deals with two ideas, contrast irrational and rational, both proposed by curator.
First is carrying a title “Subjective choice”. It is making a parody out of a classical strategy of building up a show: curator invites his favourite artists, fits their art works into the context of the of the concept; keeps it as a subjective dialogue within a small group of people, without a wish to make something actual, but to „keep it within the family“. This idea is reflecting the golden age in pre-crisis Latvia and Estonia, when curators and artists lived their bohemian dream, enjoying the full freedom of choice.
So the aim of curator is to modify two show sets, one of Estonian artist, other – of Latvian.
Second idea is opposes the first reflecting current art-economy situation. The same group of artists is being offered to put some object on sale. This object can be anything starting from old sock finishing with car, house, TV-set or a diary. Artist must depict this object, creating their own artistic “classified ad”. Real objects will participate in online auction, illustrated by artists’ masterpiece and this object together with the illustration will be exhibited in the gallery space while the show is open.
View of Marko Mäetamm's project "Sock" 2009
This idea must symbolize “green thinking”, on the other side it gives artist an opportunity to tell their personal story, trying to lose a distant and create more human, personal image of the artist.
Exhibition has a dynamical structure. There is not going to be any event right on the day of the opening, but intensive press coverage in Latvia and Estonia during the show. Exhibition time will be divided: while Estonian artists will participate in “Subjective choice”, Latvians will show how they manage and tell their stories. And then in the middle of exhibitions’ running time we will switch. By Friday, 19th of February Latvian objects will be sold exhibition reaches its climax and ArtDepoo will host a festive action lasting from 8–11 PM, which is going to consist of:
1. handling of artists’ personal belongings to their new happy owners,
2. performance by Interdisciplinary Art group SERDE (Aizpute, Latvia),
3. mighty musical show by MICROCOBRA.
For more information, contact Andris Vitolinš vitolins(at)latnet.lv, or ArtDepoo gallery artdepoo(at)artdepoo.com, or +372 666 1488.
10.03.2010 11:39