On Thursday, 29 May, the public is invited to the opening of the exhibition “FLUVIUS” in the Gallery of RTU Liepāja Humanities and Arts Centre, 2nd floor. The exhibition “FLUVIUS” [Latin: river] is a continuation of the journey started by Zanda Puce and Armands Ange in 2018 along Latvia’s longest river – the Gauja. The journey was inspired by the story of Zanda’s great-grandfather, boat builder Juhans Jurs. Several expeditions have provided audiovisual material, some of which will be featured in the book “Aa fluvius. In Search of the Lost River”, which was shortlisted for the Golden Abel book competition.
The accumulated research evidence highlights the material and immaterial traditions of the Gauja valley and its surroundings included in the Latvian cultural canon, as well as the possibilities of preserving, archiving and transmitting memories. Since 1933, when the School Museum organised the first “Gauja Exhibition”, the rural landscape has changed. Discovering the imprints of different eras and the diversity of the cultural landscape ensures the continuation of these values.
In the exhibition, the relationship between man and nature is explored through the aspect of movement and the symbolic representation of water, which helps to create a reflection of the individual experience. The stories of the people encountered by the Gauja River have become an important part of the artists’ experience. They have met the aunt of Zaķi, who greets the sunrise and sunset on her hill in Kurmos, the people from the parish of the Orthodox Church of Ežu (Māli) who take care of the nearby church, Dmitrijs, who lives at the Nēķena watermill in Taurene, and many others.
Based on the observations made, the connection with nature, established by personal and external factors, is explored. The answers given by nature to inner questions – loneliness, sadness, self-seeking, finding and accepting oneself, as well as discovering oneself both as an artist and as a human being – are revealed.
This exhibition is a continuation of our shared memories. The underwater world created in the New Castle of Sigulda allowed us to get to know the Gauja River surrounded by the city, its banks and the people who live in the area, to revisit what we have collected. The exhibition allows us to dive back into what was seen and deeply felt during the journey.
The exhibition will be open until 30 June on weekdays from 8.00 to 19.00, on Saturdays from 8.00 to 16.00 in the Gallery of RTU Liepāja Humanities and Arts Centre, 2nd floor. On 23 and 24 June the exhibition will be closed to the public.
Organised by: association “ASTE. Art, Science, Technology, Education”, supported by RTU Liepāja, Liepāja Culture Board and State Culture Capital Foundation.
On April 4, the solo exhibition “Veikals SPAZ” by artist Margrieta Griestiņa was opened at the Gallery of the Centre for Humanities and Arts at RTU Liepāja Academy (Kūrmājas prospekts 13, 2nd floor). This exhibition marks the beginning of the contemporary art exhibition series “Image Flow”.
At the centre of the exhibition is a fictional fashion and household goods brand – the GolfClayderman store “SPAZ,” where a cyber fox and a bohemian bear run the operations. In this ironic narrative, the store’s previous location in Madona is referenced, while the new chapter begins in Liepāja – the “temple of education in the city of wind.” Griestiņa’s artistic language merges childhood memories, pop culture, and video game aesthetics into a distinct and playful visual experience.
Anna Priedola, the exhibition’s curator, emphasizes the lack of contemporary art presence in Liepāja, highlighting that “Veikals SPAZ” offers an excellent opportunity for art students and the public to engage with current tendencies in contemporary art.
The exhibition is open to visitors until April 25, 2025, on weekdays from 8:00 to 19:00 and Saturdays from 8:00 to 16:00, and is available free of charge.
The “Image Flow” exhibition series is organized by the media art association ASTE. Art, Science, Technology, Education in collaboration with the Art Research Lab (MPLab) at RTU Liepāja Academy.
The project is supported by the City of Liepāja and the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia.
The annual festival Sound Daysin Liepāja (Latvia) is calling out to all Baltic live coders, and anyone who is interested in this topic of creating music and art with code, to join us in the first Baltic Live Coders Meetup (BLCM) on April 25, 2025.
The BLCM aims to bring together live coders from the three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – to foster exchange, get to know each other and to create opportunities for further cooperation. It is embedded within the festival Sound Days, that takes place in Liepāja from April 22 – 26, 2025. On Friday, April 25 during the BLCM there will be an opportunity for live coders to present their work and to exchange ideas, culminating with an Algorave with international and local artists in the evening and night. If you cannot make it to Liepaja on that day, you can also participate in the event remotely.
To better plan this event we kindly ask for everyone interested in attending to fill out this form until February 16, 2025. Later applications to attend the Baltic Live Coders Meetup will still be considered, but having a good overview of attendance early on is vital for our plannings. Application form:
Attendance is free of charge. Unfortunately, at this time, accommodation and travel expenses cannot be covered. If you want to attend, but are not sure if you can make it, please anyways fill out this form and leave a note about it at the end. We can provide a formal letter of invitation in order to apply for funding individually.
The festival is organised by ASTE. Art, Science, Technology, Education and RTU Liepāja Academy Art Research Lab (MPLab). Sound Days is a satellite event of the International Conference on Live Coding (ICLC). Sound Days are made possible by the support of Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, “RTU Liepaja Academy”.
Benoît and the Mandelbrots at live.code.festival 2013. Photo: Daniel BollingerFlorencia Alonso (Flor de Fuego) & Lina Bautista (linalab). Photo: Henry van Well
New ART+ artworks are now availabale Jurmalas Park, on the beach, Karosta, Fortification battery No. 3, and in the city centre (on the bridge and near the theater). Several of the new works are interactive – it is recommended to walk around Roberto Becerra Bravo and Kristīne Martinova’s “Proverbial” to experience the changing sound composition, and Kristena Sokolovska and Shawn Pinchbeck’s “Echo of Fear” will react to the viewer’s distance from the tree featured in the work.
To view the artworks users will need a phone or tablet with internet connection and GPS. ART+ will work on iPhones newer than 6S; and Android devices with ARCore. Unfortunately, ART+ will not work on devices that do not have access to Google Services.
If a suitable device is not available or it is not possible to travel to the locations of the artworks, ART+ works are also available in a web browser and can be viewed from anywhere, on any device with an internet connection. To view ART+ works in a web browser, visit the ART+ website (https://artplus.app).
Artists: Anna Priedola, Elina Dreimane, Gustavs Lociks, Inga Slangena, Jekaterina Jevdokimova, Kristena Sokolovska, Kristine Martinova, Madara Kronberga, Maija Demitere, Oleksandr Sirous (UA), Olga Barbina, Patrick Borgeat (DE), Roberto Becerra Bravo (MX), Rogier Jupijn (NL), ROTOR (NL), Shawn Pinchbeck (CA).
ART+ is supported by: State Culture Capital Foundation (VKKF), Liepaja City Municipality Institution “Culture Department”, Kuldīga District Municipality, association ASTE. Art, Science, Technology, Education, and RTU Liepāja Academy’s Art Research Laboratory (MPLab).
On Friday, November 22, at 16:00, the exhibition “Sensory Imagination” will open at the Liepāja Music, Art, and Design High School Gallery (Alejas street 18). The exhibition will showcase virtual and augmented reality artworks, art installations, and results from workshops conducted during the media art and technology festival UPDATE. The exhibition will be open from November 25 to December 6 on weekdays from 8:00 to 19:00.
The exhibition will feature four virtual reality works:
Jekaterina Jevdokimova’s “I (Don’t) Remember” – an interpretation of the artist’s childhood memories from the late 90s and early 2000s.
Kaspars Lēvalds’ “Mist” – based on the 1919 Latvian War of Independence in Liepāja after World War I.
Elīna Dreimane’s “Lost in the Mist” – exploring Latvian power sites described in traditions, folklore, and stories.
Olga Barbina’s “Pneuma” – experimenting with human breath as a means of navigation in a virtual reality environment.
As part of the exhibition, ten new augmented reality works will be launched on the mobile application ART+ (https://artplus.app). The augmented reality artworks will be viewable in various locations in the city of Liepāja. The works reflect on cultural heritage, contemporary world issues, the climate crisis, and pollution, experimenting with technologies, as well as expressing personal experiences and reflections on mental health through art. The works will be visible on Liepāja’s beach, Seaside Park, Karosta, and other city locations. To view the works, a smartphone or tablet with GPS and internet connection is required, the ART+ application must be downloaded or updated, and visitors need to go to the designated location of the artwork. Currently, 50 augmented reality artworks are already on display in Liepāja.
The exhibition will also feature two international artists who participated in artist residencies organized by the foundation “Foundation Liepāja 2027” from September to October this year. Spanish artist Carlos Munnoz will present his social platform experiment and installation “Deficiencies of Utopia”, while Ukrainian artist Iryna Loskot will showcase a series of works titled “Invitations” that explore the self-destructive and self-renewing nature of our planet.
The exhibition will display the results of the annual media art and technology festival UPDATE workshops – an interactive sound installation created during the workshop “Become an Antenna” led by Tata Frenkel, a guide on how to be an artist in a world without digital technologies, developed during the workshop “OFFLINE/OFF-GRID” led by Vytautas Michelkevičius, and an interactive work combining motion capture suits and photogrammetry, created during the workshop “Experimental Motion Capture” led by Oleksandr Sirous.
Exhibition Opening: Friday, November 22, at 16:00. Exhibition Open: November 25 to December 6, weekdays from 8:00 to 19:00. Exhibition Website:www.updatefestival.lv Contact: Maija Demitere (maija.demitere@gmail.com, +371 29948430).
The exhibition “Sensory Imagination” is part of the UPDATE festival, organized by the Liepāja-based media artist association ASTE (https://aste.gallery), RTU Liepāja Academy’s Art Research Laboratory (MPLab, https://mplab.lv), and the association ART+ (https://artplus.app). ASTE’s activities in 2024 are supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation (VKKF) for professional non-governmental cultural organizations. UPDATE is realized with the support of Liepāja City Culture Department, VKKF, and RTU Liepāja Academy. The event is implemented with the co-funding of the foundation “Foundation Liepāja 2027” and the European Union’s “Creative Europe” program project “CreArt 3.0 #STRINGING_TOGETHER.”
From September 28 to October 5, the Art Research Laboratory (MPLab) of RTU Liepaja Academy in Liepāja hosts the UPDATE Media Art and Technology Festival, where participants and international guests and artists explore themes of creativity through audiovisual tools, artificial intelligence systems, marine ecosystems and various conceptual themes. The festival will close on Saturday, October 5, from 12:00 to 16:00 at MPLab (Liepāja, Kūrmājas prospekts 13, entrance from the back yard) with an exhibition of workshop results and a Family Day – workshops for children and young people on various creative technologies.
The exhibition will showcase more than 30 works created during the workshops. The festival featured 8 workshops where students and artists explored technology, created conceptual works, sound art installations, performances, as well as several short films dedicated to Liepāja.
Workshop hosts: Zil Lilas (DE/LT), Vytautas Michelkevicius (LT), Tata Frenkel (LT), pETER Purg (SI), Oleksandr Sirous (UA), Heinrich Lenz (DE), Gustavs Lociks (LV), Carlos Munnoz (ES).
Contacts: Festival website: www.updatefestival.lv Maija Demitere (maija.demitere@gmail.com, +371 29948430)
UPDATE is organised by the association of Liepaja media artists ASTE (https://aste.gallery) and RTU Liepaja Academy Art Research Laboratory (MPLab, https://mplab.lv). The activities of the association ASTE in 2024 are supported by the VKKF for professional non-governmental cultural organisations. UPDATE is supported by the Liepaja Municipality institution “Culture Department”, the VKKF, RTU Liepaja Academy and RIXC, a network for art, science, culture and innovation. The event is co-organised by the foundation “Liepāja 2027 Foundation” and the European Union Creative Europe Programme project “CreArt 3.0 #STRINGING_TOGETHER”. The workshop “Soundscapes” is realised in the framework of the Artillery 35 project “Soundfields”, supported by Nordplus Horizontal.
At the end of the year, on 30 December, 8 new artworks in Liepaja are being published on the ART+ platform – in Karosta, Jurmala Park and the Liepaja city centre. The new ART+ works are 3D visualisations of historic records, data, and research, as well as artists’ reflections on the current times and events. ART+ is a mobile app and a website that displays works in augmented reality. The digital works are placed in specific locations, to view the work, the user must download the ART+ app and go to the location of the artwork. Augmented reality allows artists to create surreal scenes, interactive works, exhibit sound art and large-scale sculptures that would otherwise be impossible to create and experience.
Artworks on view in Karosta include a 3D model of the KOD-1 aircraft, whose production was associated with the Liepaja Kara osta workshop from 1936 to 1938. Next to the Liepaja fortress battery No 3 is a cannon that was used at the end of the 19th century. Sound artist Krista Dintere has created a tribute to Liepāja’s old tram cars; the piece can be listened to near the tram placed at the North Pier. The Crooked Pine of the Karosta has also been revived in ART+. Next to the Karosta Bridge, a 3D model of the bridge is depicted as a keychain, prompting reflections on tourism, Liepaja’s recognisable symbols, their meaning and history.
An interactive work by Kaspars Levalds, a model of the industrial robot UNIMATE, is on display in Jurmala Park in Liepaja, reflecting on the changes in creative industries and our everyday lives brought about by the use of artificial intelligence.
A visualisation of Anna Priedola’s research created by 3D artist Santa France is displayed in the square near Kurzeme. The work shows recipes for “mental well-being” collected by Priedola, which she gathered from visitors’ stories at the exhibition and in the workshop series “Milk Diaries. Dementia in statistics and stories”.
In the newly built promenade in Karlis Zale Square, a colourful rain of confetti warns of the spreading of microplastics. Artist Maija Demitere is an ecological researcher, looking for ways in which art can contribute to changes in people’s everyday habits.
To use ART+ and view the works, you will need to go to the mobile app store and download (or update) the app (Google Play or Apple Store). Links to the app stores are available at: https://artplus.app. You will need a phone or a tablet with an internet connection and GPS to view the artworks. ART+ will work on iPhones newer than 6S; and Android devices with ARCore. Unfortunately, ART+ will not work on devices that do not support Google Services.
If you do not have a compatible device or are unable to travel to the locations, ART+ works are also available in a web browser and can be viewed from anywhere, on any device with an internet connection. To view ART+ works in a web browser, visit the ART+ website (https://artplus.app/). The works displayed in the browser are also created to allow ART+ viewers to plan their art viewing route and to select the works that interest them.
ART+ platform is created in Liepaja, managed by Liepaja media artists and ASTE (https://aste.gallery). ART+ works have been created with the support of Liepaja Municipality, Liepaja City Municipality Institution “Culture Department”, Kurzeme Planning Region and VKKF. KOD-1 model was created with the support of Kuldiga Digital Innovation Centre. The cannon model was made with the support of the Karosta Rescue Society.
As part of the Kuldiga art festival “Cooldiga Art Fest”, eight new augmented reality art objects were created and can be seen using the mobile app ART+ (https://artplus.app).
ART+ users in Kuldiga can see the unique sight of fish jumping in Venta, a scene that is usually only visible for a few weeks a year, but in augmented reality it is now available at any moment.
A full-size model of the historical plane KOD-1, or “Ventas eagle”, created based on historical images, is now also available.
The work “Line” by Krista Dinter and Jekaterina Jevdokimova captures the arrival of electricity and radio in Kuldiga in 1934.
Inga Slangena’s work “Friends for Life” celebrates the relationship between humans and pets.
“Frames” by Anija Aizkalne were inspired by the works of Indrikis Zeberins. The artist created original illustrations depicting scenes from the everyday life of young people today.
Damians Cirulis in the work “Juping Fish” has stopped the moment of the fish jumping and water splashing, so that the viewer can explore the movement and the flow of water.
“Through Time” by Madara Kronberga is dedicated to the growth experienced during the era of Duke Jacob in the 16th century.
“A Time-Traveler’s Lens” by Kristena Sokolovska offers scenes of different eras as “photos taken by a time traveler”.
To use ART+, you will need to go to the app store and download (or update) the application (Google Play or Apple Store). Links are available on the website: https://artplus.app. To view the artwork, you will need a phone or a tablet with internet and GPS. ART+ will work on iPhones newer than the 6S; and Android devices with ARCore. ART+ will unfortunately not work on devices that do not have Google Services.
If you do not have a suitable device or it is impossible to go to the locations of the artworks, ART+ works are available in a web browser and can be viewed from anywhere, on any device with internet. You can go to the ART+ website and click on “Go to Map” (https://artplus.app/map/).
ART+ is created by media artists association ASTE (https://aste.gallery). All ASTE works in 2023 is supported by Liepaja municipality support for non-governmental organizations and the support of VKKF for professional non-governmental cultural organizations. ART+ works are created with the support of Liepaja City Municipality, Liepaja City Municipality institution “Culture Department”, Kurzeme Planning Region.
PAPER TREES is an augmented reality artwork created at the intersection of two artists’ fields of research – Maija Demitere studies “slow” media art and how to make our daily life sustainable, Eva-Maria Lopez is interested in biodiversity and the impact of climate change and human economy on plants. The 1st iteration of PAPER TREES was opened in 2021 and was visualizing office paper used by Liepaja University in one year. The artwork, placed in front of the University, showed 56 digital trees used-up by the employees of Liepaja University and piles of paper next to them.
The new PAPER TREES visualize the 55 kg of paper and respectively the trees used on average by one person in Germany.
PAPER TREES are a part of the City of Karlsruhe’s “Media Art is Here” festival, and can be viewed until September 17, 2023, on the market square in Karlsruhe.
The work is a result of collaboration between Maija Demitere and Eva-Maria Lopez, 3D artist Liga Velina and the ART+ team. PAPER TREES can be seen in the market square in Karsruhe (DE). To view the work using augmented reality, download the PAPER TREES app on your mobile phone or tablet.
PAPER TREES is funded by UNESCO City of Media Arts Karlsruhe 2022.
On Thursday, July 13 and on Sunday, July 16 visitors are invited to take part in workshops, meet the exhibition artists, and see audiovisual performances. The program is part of the exhibition RETROSPECTROPIA will take place in the Liepaja Museum. Activities will be free of charge.
The exhibition features 15 new media artworks created by recognized artists, graduates of the study program “New Media Art” of Liepaja University. In the creative workshops, visitors will be able to try out the diverse practices and approaches of media artists, learn how to sculp 3D objects using virtual reality (VR) tools, participants will be invited to a deep listening and sound recording masterclass, as well as how to obtain environmentally friendly dyes from edible materials.
The exhibition RETROSPECTROPIA can be viewed until July 30. Info on planning your visit is available on the museum’s website: https://www.liepajasmuzejs.lv/en.
Program:
Thu, July 13 17:00 – 18:00
PERFORMANCE: AV RYTHMS BY PAULA VĪTOLA
In the performance AV RYTHMS by Paula Vitola visitors will be able to observe exciting demonstrations of the principle of photoacoustics and will learn more about this long-forgotten technology.
Participants have to apply by emailing the curator, please include the desired time in the email. Email to: anna.priedola@liepu.lv. Limited number of participants.
WORKSHOP: 3D SCULPTING IN VR (starting times: 12:00; 12:30; 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30)
Participants have to apply by emailing the curator, please include the desired time in the email. Email to: anna.priedola@liepu.lv. Limited number of participants.
WORKSHOP: ECO PAINTING (participants can join at any time, no need to apply) (from 12:00 until 15:00)
TOUR OF THE EXHIBITION RETROSPECTROPIA WITH THE CURATOR (starting times: 12:00, 13:00, 14:00)
3D sculpting in VR
More about workshops and artists:
AV RHYTHMS by Paula Vitola
Visitors will have the opportunity to get to know the artist’s research in the world of light and sound, learn the principles of the instrument’s operation and try it, as well as learn from a new point of view how our senses work and how sound, light and other signals are related to each other.
Since 2015, Paula Vitola has been researching a unique phenomenon – the photoacoustic effect and its artistic potential – in her creative work. The photoacoustic effect is a process by which light is converted into a sound signal. On July 13 the artist will give an audiovisual performance and involve visitors in a sensory and technological experiment using a unique instrument – a photoacoustic synthesizer prototype.
The instrument uses flashing lights and kinetic objects, combining photoacoustic and stroboscopic effects. The strobe light, by rapidly changing its state from on to off, creates the illusion of a continuously on light. This illusion divides our perception into “frames”, visually slowing down the movement. Audible sounds will indicate that the light is not switched on continuously – the light is converted into sound with the help of solar cells, and its flashing frequency corresponds to the audible frequency. In this way, it is possible to obtain an infinite number of tones, rhythms and their combinations.
Paula Vītola is an artist and lecturer at Liepaja University, mainly working in the field of art as research, media archeology and sound art. The artist experiments with various technologies, natural and physical phenomena. In her most recent work, the artist focused on the method of photoacoustics – transferring light to sound – in order to study invisible energy and the materiality of signals. relationships as well as our perceptions. The artist experiments and develops prototypes, performances and other artistic experiences that help to understand these signals and allow them to be experienced with the senses.
3D SCULPTING IN VR by Rogier Jupijn and Agnese Damberga
In the creative workshop, one will have the opportunity to try the simplest form of 3D modeling – 3D sculpting – getting an insight into the construction work of virtual reality and feeling what it would be like to paint in a three-dimensional world. The workshop will last 25 minutes, 5 people will be able to work at the same time, therefore prior registration is required by writing to anna.priedola@liepu.lv.
The creative workshop will be led by the developers of the augmented reality (AR) app ART+. More information about the app and how to download it for free on the website https://artplus.app/.
AUGMENTED LISTENING by Krista Dintere
When living in a noisy urban environment, the human brain adapts and learns ways how to ignore what is happening around us – traffic sounds, road works, various devices running in the background. In ancient cultures, sound was often associated with wonder, because its source was not always visible and understandable. As a physical phenomenon, sound has a profound effect on the human body and consciousness, and can also be used in meditation.
Sound artist Krista Dintere will invite workshop participants to open their consciousness to hearing and enjoying the sounds of the surrounding environment both directly with your senses, learning deep listening techniques, and amplifying the weaker sound sources, such as the flapping of insect wings, with the help of recording technology, creating fun, shared sound etudes as a result of the workshop.
The number of workshop participants is limited, so we invite you to apply for one of the three times, by writing to the curator anna.priedola@liepu.lv. The workshop will take place in the garden of the museum.
Krista Dintere is an artist from Liepaja who works in the fields of sound art, experimental composition, media art and creative research. In her works, she strives to realize the limits of the physicality of sound, and also focuses on the psychoacoustic aspects of sound perception and communication. The artist often works with recorded sounds, which are used both in creating site-specific installations and experimental compositions, revealing the complex relationship between the factuality of the field recording and fictitious sound worlds created by artistically interpreting the actual. Since 2012, she has participated with her works in media art and sound art exhibitions, light festivals and other projects in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Germany, Italy and Poland, including the RIXC gallery, the “Staro Rīga” light festival, the “Sound Days” festival, Liepaja University MPLab, “Art Laboratory Berlin”.
ECO PAINTING by Maija Demitere
In her research Maija Demitere is working on developing sustainable practices and technologies to reduce the impact created by various daily activities.
During the ECO PAINTING workshop participants will learn how to create dyes at home, and will have a chance to discover their creativity by painting on canvas and creating flags to celebrate the diversity of nature. All materials will be provided free of charge and participants can join at any time, and stay as long as they want.
Maija Demitere is an artist and researcher focusing on “slow” media art and “deep” sustainability. In her artistic practice and research, she tries to describe the role of nature / the natural in the “normal” everyday life of a any person.
Workshop ECO Painting
About the exhibition RETROSPECTROPIA
15 years have passed since 2007, when the New Media Art studio in Liepaja started its 1st year, and the community of new media artists has grown quite large, and their range of technical specialization and thematic interests is just as wide – from video to sound art and for experiments in augmented and virtual reality, challenging both the audience’s perception mechanism and the technology’s performance.
Artists in the exhibition have developed their creative activity in various European and Latvian cities, while still keeping an active bond with Liepaja. Works in the exhibition look back at the records of the past, capture and reveal to the viewer the myths and captivating phantasmagoric images created in them, drawing attention to the fact that and how these existing records – especially due to the peculiarities of machine learning that are relevant today – shape our future, both locally, both on a global, individual and community scale.
Exhibitions, performances and creative workshops are organized by the association ASTE. Art, Science, Technology, Education, Liepaja University Art Research Laboratory and Liepaja Museum. Supported by the State Cultural Capital Fund.
