The exhibition “A visionary drawing riddle”, organized by the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, features eight Latvian artists who have been invited to reflect on and interact with the works of Māris Bišofs. The exhibition is on view until November 10 in locations throughout Valmiera’s urban environment – from the walls and roofs of buildings to the shelves of some stores.
The central axis around which the exhibition revolves is the artist Māris Bišofs, whose art is recognized by many but who nevertheless remains a recluse in the Latvian art scene. Born in Rūjiena, he later became a citizen of the world – spending time in Israel, France and the USA – before returning to Latvia, where he has now been living for the past 20 years. Bišofs still draws every day, predicting the future in his works, as well as commenting with sarcasm and humour on current events in Latvia and the wider world.
(Publicity text, LCCA)
The works How Electricity is Made and How a Latvian is Made explore the curiosity of one’s mind. They are intended to make us question processes that seem simple, to ask what’s going on behind them, even when the answer feels obvious, and consequently to discover new and possibly absurd explanations through the active deployment of our imaginations. What happens inside an electrical transformer? Perhaps there are a hundred little hamsters running on tiny wheels, as so often depicted in cartoons. Or might there simply be a thousand wires coming from somewhere and going elsewhere? What makes a Latvian Latvian? Is it a passport, or is there more to it? This approach draws inspiration from the work of Maris Bišofs – particularly his schematic, pseudo-scientific drawings of “how things work.” It underscores the value of curiosity as a fundamental element that enriches our capacity to lead a meaningful life.
“How Electricity is Made”, 2023;
“How A Latvian is Made”. 2023
07.10.2023 – 10.11.2023
Valmiera, Latvia
Organised by: LCCA
Curators: Solvita Krese and Māra Žeikare
Artists and participants: Ēriks Božis, Kaspars Groševs, Ernests Kļaviņš, Agate Lielpētere,
Marija Luīze Meļķe, Ingrīda Pičukāne, Krišs Salmanis, Vivianna Maria Stanislavska, Jānis Joņevs
Photos: Klāvs Vasiļevskis
Links:
https://lcca.lv/en/exhibitions/exhibition-dedicated-to-the-artist-maris-bisofs/#izstade
https://arterritory.com/lv/vizuala_maksla/on_site/26909-pretrunu_pilns_zimejums_ar_gaisredzibas_iezimem
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/kultura/maksla/14.10.2023-bisofiadiskas-pretrunas-recenzija-par-izstadi-pretrunu-pilns-zimejums-ar-gaisredzibas-iezimem.a527731/