From the 30th of June until 16th of July, M/Gallery is presenting "BECOMING” exhibition by the 2nd year BA Fine Art students of the Art Academy of Latvia. 14 young artists reveal what the process of becoming means to each of them. Growth, change, the beginning or the end of something? To learn more about the stories behind their artworks we offer you little insights from the artists themselves about their works.
Madara Freidenfelde
“Two undercover feelings”
“For some reason, we tend to hide our anger and sadness behind other emotions, like cabbage. Or an onion.”
Madara Freidenfelde
“Shadow in the rainbow”
“Darkness creeps in and begins to take over…”
Madara Freidenfelde
“Woman sheds her skin too.”
“When the old skin no longer protects against the one who scratched it, a woman throws it off and pulls a new one. Visible on the old skin layer are lacerations left by injuries. Although the woman's second skin layer partly protects it from misfortune, it is fragile and does not guarantee complete protection against accidents. These passages indicate severe injuries and are evidence of cruelty.”
Madara Freidenfelde
“Between Your Arms”
“I wish everyone the warmest hug! It is the safest place in the world to be!”
Madara Freidenfelde
“The Only Landscape Backyard Lately.”
“The pandemic trapped us all, and because of that, the views from apartment windows and what had grown within our fence, had to be sufficient for painting in the landscape genre.”
Ina Kantiķe
“Portrait of Purvītis”
“In researching Purvītis's life, I found that many of his contemporaries love to quote Purvītis and remember his advices and sayings and the insights of a great teacher. I chose to illustrate some of them, which, in my opinion, describe the artist well.”
Gundega Brūvere: artist statement
“Being out in nature inspires me as a painter. Long walks and being near the seaside gives me inner power. Open air painting is a big part of my work process. I work with polished, smooth brush strokes, preferring soft colors. I pay a lot of attention to small details and to the light. My artworks are quiet and minimal, enriched with atmospheric effects - to evoke a sense. My paintings express tranquility, nostalgia and emotionality over reality.”
Renāte Pagaste
“Important Influences”
“We are influenced both by what has been before us and by what is above us. It is important to be aware of these influences, because that is the only way we can change the direction of our life. As long as it's all in the subconscious, we're like helpless puppets.”
Stīna Skulme: artist statement
"Painting for me is a necessity. I paint because I cannot not paint. I am interested in the representation of variations of reality and exploration of simplicity. My sources of inspiration are the subject world, human body, light and shadow. I am fascinated by technical mastery in painting. Today, the message of the artwork is often more important than the form, but to me, the quality has always been just as relevant. It is something I try to accomplish in my work."
Elīna Vagre
“Beach Tourists”
“The work "Beach Tourists" is an irony about the crowd phenomenon. Latvians call themselves "loners". We prefer to see our neighbor leave rather than arrive. But when the summer season comes, we are ready to break all personal spaces, sit half-naked near each other, and