Installation “Brown Lagoon” until November 17

Video: Renārs Zvirgzdiņš

Liepājas Universtātes Humanitāro un mākslas zinātņu fakultātes galerijā Kūrmājas prospektā 13, 2. stāvā līdz 17. novembrim darba dienās no pl. 10.00 – 18.00 bez maksas ir aplūkojama jauno mediju mākslas instalācija “Brūnā lagūna”, kas veidota, iedvesmojoties no Liepājas ezera – lagūnas tipa ezera – ainavas un ekosistēmas. Izmantojot mikroskopa video ierakstus, datu sonifikāciju un dabas materiālus, kā arī no atrasto materiālu veidotiem papīriem un grafikas darbiem, jaunie mākslinieki atklāja dažādu sugu attiecības, kas veido Liepājas ezera ekosistēmu, reflektējot arī par cilvēka lomu tajā.

In the gallery on the 2nd floor of Faculty of Arts and Humanities of Liepaja University (Liepaja, Kurmajas pr. 13, Mondays – Saturdays every day from 10AM until 6PM) visitors are invited to explore the installation “Brown Lagoon” created during an experimental workshop exploring the ecosystem of Liepaja lake using microscope video recordings, data sonification and found objects, as well as papers and graphic works made from found materials. The workshop participants also reflected on the human role in the ecosystem.

Most materials used in the installation were obtained from Zirgu sala, an area next to the Liepaja lake that served as and official and later unofficial waste dump. Only recently Zirgu sala has been developed into a recreational area, Liepaja ZIIC Dabas maja (Nature House) is also located in this area.

The installation was created as a result of a creative workshop within the framework of ASTE project “Ekonauti II” in cooperation with the music and creativity festival MTF Labs, organized by Aveiro, a candidate city for the European Capital of Culture in Portuga and Liepaja University Art Research Lab (MPLab). During the workshop, young artists were invited to explore the proposed topic “Ecosystem Living”. Workshop participants visited the paper recycling laboratory of Liepaja University and learned how to use agar and fibers obtained from Liepaja algae in the production of paper sheets. Workshop participants also listened to a lecture by Sniedze Vise, Liepaja ZIIC Nature House representative, on the Liepaja ecosystems and the goods and services an ecosystem can provide to humans, and also learned how to perform a microscopic analysis of water samples from Liepaja Lake in order to see what natural diversity is hidden in the underwater world.

Artists: Kristofers Antāns, Olga Barbina, Elizabete Blūma, Lelde Gūtmane, Kristers Krūms, Madara Zavadska, Renārs Zvirgzdiņš; workshop mentors, new media artists and project managers: Anna Priedola un Paula Vitola.

Project “Ekonauti II” is supported by State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia (VKKF).

ASTE activities in 2022. is supported by Liepaja Municipality support for NGO’s and State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia (VKKF) support for NGO’s.