From 12 to 13 June 2026, the international symposium “ElektrON – The Future of Amber” will take place in Liepāja and Pāvilosta as part of the programme of “Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027”. The symposium will bring together artists, researchers, curators, and cultural historians from Latvia and abroad to collectively reflect on the significance of amber and other fossil resources in culture, economy, and human relationships with the environment. Visitors are invited to register by filling out the application form. Participation is free of charge.
The public programme of the symposium will open on 12 June at 5:00 PM in Liepāja with a lecture by German artist Lisa Rave at the Art Research Laboratory (MPLab) of the RTU Liepāja Academy, located at Kūrmājas prospekts 13, Liepāja. In her artistic practice, Lisa Rave explores the relationship between humans and geological environments, combining perspectives from art and anthropology. The lecture will be followed by a screening of her essay film “Europium” (2014). The film highlights the history of colonialism and examines how fossil resources and exploitative relationships from the past continue to shape contemporary economies and everyday objects.
On 13 June, the symposium will continue at the Pāvilosta Culture House. From 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, a programme of lectures will explore the cultural-historical significance of amber and its potential within contemporary art and technological culture. Speakers will include artist and curator Zane Cērpiņa (Norway), professor and designer Barbara Ābele from the Art Academy of Latvia, new media artist and researcher Paula Vītola, as well as the director of the Palanga Amber Museum, Sigita Talačkiene (Lithuania), and other guests.
From 4:00 PM onwards, symposium visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the artistic concepts developed within the research processes of the PAiR residency programme as part of the project “ElektrON – The Future of Amber”. Presentations will be given by Michael Saup (Germany), Mikus Svikulis (Latvia), Ieva Viese (Latvia), Zane Zelmene (Latvia), Aistė Ambrazevičiūtė (Lithuania), Kim Hankyul (Norway), Trevor Yeung (Hong Kong), and Helen Liene Dreifelds (Canada).
The project “ElektrON – The Future of Amber” addresses questions surrounding the depletion of fossil resources and the need to redefine humanity’s relationship with the geological structures of the Earth. Amber, much like other fossil resources, has influenced culture, trade, mythology, and scientific thought for centuries. The very concept of electricity derives from the ancient Greek word “elektron”, meaning “amber”.
The symposium forms part of the broader project “ElektrON – The Future of Amber”, which seeks to rediscover amber as a marker of Baltic Sea coastal identity while critically re-examining ideas surrounding fossil resources and their place in the contemporary world. Developed through collaboration between art and science, the project highlights amber’s cultural-historical, material, and symbolic potential in the context of the future.
The international symposium is part of a wider artistic and research process whose results will be presented in the exhibition “ElektrON – The Future of Amber” at the Liepāja Museum from 8 January to 27 June 2027, marking the opening of the “Liepāja 2027 – European Capital of Culture” programme year.
The project “ElektrON – The Future of Amber” is implemented by the association “ASTE. Art, Science, Technology, Education” in collaboration with the VV Foundation, Pāvilosta Artist Residency (PAiR). The project is realised within the framework of the “Liepāja 2027” programme with funding provided by the Ministry of Culture of Latvia, the City of Liepāja, and the municipalities of South Kurzeme and Kuldīga.
The “Liepāja 2027” programme is supported by its main partner in environmental education and sustainability, CleanR Group; its main partner in mobility and international communication, airBaltic Corporation; its legal partner, Sorainen Law Office; and its land mobility partner, Lux Express Latvia. Media partners include Latvian Public Media and Kurzemes Radio. The symposium venue support is provided by RTU Liepāja Academy.
The activities of the association “ASTE. Art, Science, Technology, Education” are supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia.
