"Pagrīde I"
2017
Koka konstrukcija, viena plakne klāta ar galerijas grīdas flīžu foto riso drukā, otra plakne aizegta ar papīra strēmelēm; galerijas Low mēbeles – krēsls, galds, kastes; Trīs A3 formāta riso drukas plakāti; Kolāža – papīrs, akvarelis, saplāksnis; Kolāža – papīrs, akvarelis, riso druka; VIdeo cilpa projekcijā zem koka konstrukcijas; Video cilpa planšetē zem koka konstrukcijas
Personālizstāde sadarbībā ar Ventu Vīnbergu (teksts) galerijā Low, Rīgā, 29.06.2017.
"Pagrīde I" un "Pagrīde II" ir viens otru papildinoši darbi un ir saistīti ar manu brīvprātīgo darbu vadot nekomerciālo galeriju "Low" Rīgā. Galerijas nosaukums "Low" apzīmē gan telpas atrašanās vietu puspagraba telpās, gan tās mazo budžetu. "Pagrīde I" ir īpaši galerijas telpai veidots darbs, kura centrālais elements ir ielas līmenī izbūvētā platforma , kas izņem pusi no telpas. Apmeklētājiem bija iespēja palīst zem tplatformas un atguļoties uz paklāja apskatīt divus video, budīt dzērienus, uzkodas un kompāniju. Vienīgais veids kā nokļūt šajā apslēptajā telpā bija rāpus. Šī pazemīgā poza sasaucas ar galerijas uzturēšanas ikdienas darbiem no telpu uzkopšanas līdz grāmatvedībai.
– Maija Kurševa
“Viss melanholiskais te ir no Venta”, teica Maija kādam netālu no manis izstādes atklāšanā.
Bet varbūt kāds cits teica. Bet varbūt tā tikai izklausījās. Jo tur bija tā – ja nometās ceļos un nolīda pagrīdē, un tur kādu laiku palika, tad tie, kas stāvēja kājās un bija kā parasti saviesīgi, par tavu klātbūtni pamazām aizmirsa. Un runāja tā, it kā tevis tur netālu nemaz nebūtu. Bet tu, ja gribēji, varēji redzēt viņu kājas un dzirdēt visu, ko viņi saka.
Bet tas nebija speciāli. Reizēm tā vienkārši gadās. Jo pagrīde bija kā štābiņš, un tur bija ko darīt. Varēja palikt viens ar video dokumentu, kurā Maija ilgi mazgā galerijas grīdas, kad tur neviena cita nav. Un pat no tā kaut kas veidojās. Protams, ja palika viens pie ekrāna pagrīdē pietiekami ilgi. Veidojās, piemēram, rāpus nometušies silueti otrā ekrānā. Tie, kas ir mazgājuši grīdas, vai metušies rāpus, lai nolīstu pagrīdē, to uzreiz saprata. Un varēja kā pār plecu skatīties - Maija mazgā grīdu, bet Vents vēlreiz pārraksta no atvilktnes izceltus aforismus. Katra nodarbe – savā ziņā gan jēgpilna, gan tipiska.
No ārpuses tā pagrīde gan izskatījās ļoti cildena vieta. Puse no galerijas puspagraba grīdas bija pacelta postamenta līmenī. Tā iepriekš vientuļi mazgātā, tad fotogrāfētā, tad izdrukājot atkārtotā grīda, lai uz vienu vakaru atkaļ kļūtu par mākslas platformu. Bet neaizsniedzama goda vietā uz tās – vientuļa autora darbavieta. Tāda tīra un glorificēta.
– Vents Vīnbergs
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"Underground I"
2017
Wood construction covered with riso printed tile photos and hand shreaded paper stripes; Low Gallery furniture – wooden chair, table, plastic beer boxes; three A3 format riso print posters; Collage – aquarell on paper & plywood; Collage – riso print and aqurell on paper; Video loop projection with sound under wooden construction, behind shreaded paper curtain; video loop on tablet with Vents Vīnbergs texts
Solo exhibition in collaboration with Vents Vīnbergs (texts) at Gallery Low, Riga, 29.06.2017.
"Underground I" and "Underground II" consists of two connected exhibitions in relation to my work running a non-commercial space in Riga - Low Gallery. I named the gallery Low because the space is located in a half-cellar and it has a low budget. “Underground I” is a site-specific installation at Low Gallery. The installation consisted of a platform, raised to the street level witch occupied half of the space. Visitors could crawl under the platform, sit on the carpet and enjoy two videos, drinks, snacks, and each others company. The crawling on your fours was the only way you could get in this hidden space. This humbling position responds to the everyday work required for maintaining the space – from accounting to cleaning.
– Maija Kurševa
“Anything melancholic here is by Vents”, said Maija to somebody near me at the opening night. Or maybe somebody else said it. Or it merely seemed so. Because this is how it was there – you could get on your knees and go underground, and stay there for a while, while those who stayed upright and remained as ever convivial, gradually forgot about the presence of you. And talked as if you were nowhere near. But you, if you pleased, could observe their legs and listen to whatever they said.
That, however, was not an intention. Sometimes it just happens. Because the underground was a sort of hideout, and there was a lot to be occupied with. One could stay alone with a video file, in which Maija persistently washes the floor of the gallery, while there is nobody around. And even from that something occured. If one, of course, endured at the underground screen long enough. Occured, for instance, some knelt-down silhouettes on the other screen. Those who have ever washed floors or have knelt down to crawl into the underground, recognised them immediately. Thus it was like a peeping - Maija washes her floors, but Vents rewrites again his aphorisms from the drawer. Each occupation being in some sense both sensible and typical.
From outside the underground appeared to be a very sublime place. Half of the gallery floor was rised to the level of a plinth. That floor, once washed, then photographed, then replicated by print, to become the art platform again for one night. And on that honourable platform unreachable – a solitary workplace of an author. Bare and glorified.
– Vents Vīnbergs