Kristians Brekte, Modris Svilāns – Solargrāfija / Solargraphy

Foto / Photo: Kristians Brekte, Modris Svilāns

Mākslinieki Kristians Brekte un Modris Svilāns savā radošajā sadarbībā pievēršas un pēta visdažādākās cilvēka dzīves parādības. Vairāk kā piecu gadu garumā abi mākslinieki nodarbojušies ar solargrāfiju un iemūžinājuši Latvijas seno sakrālo arhitektūru un apbedījuma vietas. Interese par pamesto, nepareizo un tumšo dzīvošanas pusi, māksliniekus padarījusi par vietas pētniekiem, kur fotogrāfisks eksperiments ar vidi ir gan daļa no novērojuma, gan zināma veida secinājums. Ilgtermiņā sadarbojoties, Brekte un Svilāns nonākuši pie individuālo interešu kompromisa, radot psiholoģiski baisu vienojošo mākslas darbu estētiku.

Solargrāfiju paši mākslinieki definē kā principu, kad ar saules stariem kadrā tiek iededzināts attēls - tā nav tikai mirkļa vai vietas fiksācija, bet gan vides un laika vizuāls tvērums. Ar pašizgatavotām pinhole kamerām Kristians Brekte un Modris Svilāns apceļojuši Latviju, kameras paslēpjot pie pamestām baznīcām un kapos, vietās, par kuru esamību cilvēki jau sen aizmirsuši. Kā mākslinieki viņi pievēršas attēlā iekļautajai formai, kompozīcijai un attēla rašanās procesam, savukārt kā pētnieki, viņi atgriežas tagadnes aizmirstajā telpā, dokumentējot nebūtībā aizlaistos dzīvības pieminekļus.

Within their creative collaboration, artists Kristians Brekte and Modris Svilāns study various phenomena of human life, reflecting on them in the form of spatial objects, sound and light scenography, as well as analog photography. For more than five years, both artists have been engaged in solargraphy, documenting Latvia's ancient sacral architecture and burial sites. Their interest in the abandoned, deviant and darker sides of life has turned the artists into researchers of a place, in which photographic experiments with the environment are both part of an observation and a kind of conclusion. Through their long-term cooperation, Brekte and Svilāns have created a psychologically disturbing unifying artistic aesthetic.

The artists themselves define solargraphy as "the principle of an image being burned into the frame by the sun's rays". In reality, such an image hints at much more – it is not just a fixation of a moment or a place, but a visual capture of an environment and time. Kristians Brekte and Modris Svilāns have traveled around Latvia with homemade pinhole cameras, hiding the cameras near abandoned churches and cemeteries; places whose existence has long been forgotten. As artists, they focus on the form, composition, and process of image formation, while as researchers, they return to the forgotten space of the present, recording monuments to life that have been neglected.

Vairāk informācijas / more info: https://issp.lv/en/gallery/exhibitions/brekte-1

Izstāde "Kuldīgas stāsti" Kalnciema kvartālā

No 25. augusta līdz 24. septembrim Rīgā, Kalnciema kvartālā apskatāmi darbi, kas radās žurnāla National Geographic redaktoru vadītās meistardarbnīcas "Dokumentālā foto-eseja: stāsti no Kuldīgas" laikā šī gada 27.-29. maijā, Kuldīgā.

Art is Risk Made Visible

Otrdien, 16. augustā, plkst.19.00, jaunajā ¼ Satori radošajā telpā Berga bazārā ar publisku lekciju uzstāsies vairāku starptautisko balvu laureāts, fotogrāfs, rakstnieks, kurators un pedagogs Arno Rafaēls Minkinens (Arno Rafael Minkkinen).

ISSP 2011 evening programme

The ISSP 2011 Evening programme will present exciting series of presentations and talks by teachers and guests - every evening 20:00, starting from 7 August till ISSP Exhibition Opening on 13th August. The evening talks are open to visitors free of charge - all lovers of photography are welcome.

Public lecture "The Photography of National Geographic Magazine"

An opportunity to learn about the photography of the National Geographic Magazine directly from its chief staff experts - Senior photo-editor Sarah Leen and Creative director Bill Marr. The lecture - presentation is open for all interested. 30 May 2011, at 19:00 at kim?

Aktuāli: ISSP BW lab

ISSP invites all interested in Black and White analogue process and looking for lab facilities to become 2011 members of our BW Lab in Andrejsala (Riga). Lab members can use fully equipped ISSP BW lab for a year - pretty much without any time limits. Full info in Latvian below. For more info, please call Arnis :)

ISSP Exhibition “Reference point” in Riga

A short video-documentation of ISSP 2010 exhibition “Reference Point” currently on show at Goethe Institute in Riga is available on vimeo! For those who still have not seen it, the exhibition  will be on show till January 30.

And, btw, as of January 2011 the ISSP 2010 catalogues and the complete collection of 2006 - 2010 catalogues can be purchased at the Latvian Museum of Photography (you can also take a look at them for free at kim? reading room, Satori, META cafe, Istaba and couple of other places).

Greetings from Ludza - ISSP 2010 Exhibition

The ISSP 2010 Exhibition was festively opened on 7 August 2010. Visitors are welcome to view the entire collection of artistic projects of 65 participants in Ludza till 2 October 2010.

ISSP evening programme open to visitors

The ISSP Evening Programme at Ezersala boarding school (Ludza district) from 1st till 7th August will be traditionally open for interested visitors and guests! Detailed programme in English here.