Linda Boļšakova
Linda is a visual and performance artist. In her research-based practice, she explores human relationship with the environment and draws parallels between human embodiment and other material embodiments, especially those of plants. It aims to expose these connections and participate in developing a stronger sense of belonging to ecosystems and to the larger community of beings that mutually inhabit our planet. It also hopes to encourage envisioning different ways of relating to the other by creating a space for empathic encounters and a culture of sustainability. In line with object-oriented ontology, new materialism, ecofeminism and process thought Linda acknowledges the vibrancy and equality of materials and other beings.
Read more about Linda Boļšakova here.
International group of ethnobotany researchers DiGe
An international group of researchers focusing on traditional knowledge and local natural resources. They study the relationship between humans and nature, including inherited knowledge and use of plants.
As a part of the exhibition “Fieldworks”, DiGe continues to develop the ethnobotanical research which commenced in Dagda municipality, Latvia. The research focuses on common plant species before they become rare and opens the discussion on . their use in neighbouring countries. Furthermore, the researchers collaborate with farms involved in the LIFE CRAFT project, focusing on farmers' observations, as well as researching archives.
By participating in interdisciplinary projects that include artistic methods, DiGe is able to expand the set of applied research methods.
DiGe group’s team of the exhibition includes: DiGe project team from Ca 'Foscari University of Venice (associate professor Renata Sõukand, postdoctoral researchers Dr. Baiba Prūse, Dr. Valeriia Kolosova, and Dr. Nataliya Stryamets, PhD students Julia Prakofjewa, Olga Belichenko, Giulia Mattalia, as well as trainee Cristina Flora and researcher Dr. Raivo Kalle from the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG)); postdoctoral researcher Dr. Marthe Derkzen and student Berber Bergstra at Wageningen University & Research; Researcher at the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia Dr. Una Smilgaine; Zane Gribuste, Master's student at the University of Latvia and others.
Read more about DiGe project team here.
Duo IevaKrish and Erik Eriksson
(with Jolanta Strikaite, Emīlija Berga, Marģers Vanags, and Mārtiņš Zvirbulis)
"A form of communication as an art itself."
Ievakrish is a collaborative choreography duo, consisting of Ieva Gaurilčikaitė-Sants and Krišjānis Sants. In their artistic practice, they combine dance with visual art, theatre and performance elements. As choreographers, dancers, and scenographers Ieva un Krišjānis focus on creating architecture of space and human interaction. Erik is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Sweden, who in his practice focuses on expanding existing models of bodily movements. He brings keen interest in ways of altering sensorial perception and extensive research of the moving body and Baltic traditional music, dance, and handicraft.
In the exhibition “Fieldworks”, the artists deconstruct their dance performance “A Void Within Reach”, which focuses on cosmogonic stories of the creation of the world. The performance will transform into an installation, which will be accompanied with performative acts of dance and movement during the two-month period. By emphasizing deconstruction and reconstruction as the driving forces of world and natural development, the artists depict a person in the vicinity of mythological emptiness – a space for identifying and evaluating the existing and becoming the creator of the new. Dancers Emīlija Berga and Marģers Vanags, singer Jolanta Strikaite and director Mārtiņš Zvirbulis will join the installation with performative interpretations.
Read more about IevaKrish here.
Read more about Erik Eriksson here.
Sandra Kosorotova
Sandra is an artist and designer from Tallinn who works with text and textile. Sandra creates functional clothes and exhibits them in art spaces. Currently Sandra co-runs a community garden created by the Narva Art Residency. Moreover, she develops an interest in agroecology. In the exhibition, in collaboration with researchers from the Institute for Environmental Solutions, the artist will explore the future of food growing and small-scale agriculture. She will examine the potential of local gardens as tools for improving the exploitation of natural and other types of resources.
Read more about Sandra Kosorotova here.
Esmeralda Purvišķe
Esmeralda is a functional designer and ceramist. In her practice, she combines traditional and contemporary design, drawing inspiration from natural forms and the principles of their formation. The artist works mainly with porcelain, which she sees as the most complex material for developing shape. Her works display personal connection between the artist and the created object. In her works, Esmeralda reflects on the interaction between human and nature both via form and function. By exploring the principles of plants body formation and imagining the shapes of future plants, the artist will create site-specific porcelain sculptures indicating that everything in the environment exists in connection, grip, and absolute interaction through form, composition and material of those.
Read more about Esmeralda Purvišķe here.
Maksims Šenteļevs
““Soundscape Mapping” is a site-specific research project that implies field recording and mixing technics in observation of sound structures of small biotopes. Main highlight of the project is to uncover and record tiny sounds left beyond hearing. Natural combination of those sounds recorded and mixed on location sculptures a sound map unique to particular location, moment of time and experience of explorer. Bringing this work into gallery space as an interactive installation explorer extends the experience of hidden, otherwise unrevealed structures of nature and intuitive ways of engagement into deep field of sensory self-awareness, which is so rare and precious."
Maksims is a sound artist and architect whose artistic practice researches motion and sound in certain spaces, as manifistations of the present moment. Maksims is a founder of international sound art platform "bernurits", which focuses on site-specific research and improvisations in-situ, works with sound for films, animation, contemporary dance, theater, performing arts and installations. From the data obtained in the fieldworks, the artist will create a kinetic sound installation and an immersive soundscape for the exhibition with the participation of singer Jolanta Strikaite.
Read more about Maksims Šenteļevs here.
Alīse Vorobeja
“[..] This year, during one of your walks, you took the earthworm off the sidewalk and put it in the grass. You did the same thing with a snail before and with another creature of a similar size. You moved it to a safer environment. I saved the next earthworm I met, it was important because now I care about all of your earthworms, but I'm still afraid to confess about my childhood experiment and the sinful happiness of a novice fisherman.”
In “Fieldworks”, Alīse created a collection of texts "Field notes". She writes about the diverse human connections, changing environments, childhood and the strong connection between internal processes with the processes of the environment and nature, manifesting the values of caring, compassion and non-violence.
Zahars Ze
Zahars is a multidisciplinary artist for whom the most important source of inspiration is nature and sees a human as an amicable segment of it. Zahars participates in urban and street art projects. He creates murals, as well as works with ceramics, music, graphics and design.
In “Fieldworks”, Zahars focuses on the so-called common plant species and human relationship to them. Working in collaboration with the poet Marija Luīze Meļķe and DiGe group, the artist questions human co-dependence with other forms of life, highlighting openness to diversity and empathy as essential tools for understanding all matters external to one's self.
Read more about Zahars Ze here.
Art Space MALA
The art space and its manager Kristīne Auniņa have developed the Cēsis community center, the values of which are sustainability and a sense of community. The art space is located in the Science and Art Centre “Brūzis” managed by the Institute for Environmental Solutions. MALA was created with the assistance and cooperation between like-minded people. It operates as an environmentally friendly cafe and cultural space. The art space is eager to continue development of the joint work movement. Therefore, MALA together with Sandra Kossorotova and “Fieldworks” will create an urban garden, which will remain as a permanent part of “Fieldworks” after the termination of the exhibition.
Short-film selection “Natural”
Program curated by Žulijens Nuhums Kulibali
"Dinosaurs did not die because they sinned and horsetails, who have been living on this planet for more than 300 million years, have not survived because of their virtuous nature.”
The short film program “Natural”, created in collaboration with the Riga International Short Film Festival “2ANNAS” as part of its focus programms, serves as a thematic introduction to “Fieldworks”. This program offers different attitudes towards the notion of the natural. According to Žulijens, the works included in the program have been chosen on the basis of their authors' portrayal of their environment and the role of human (or civilization) in it. Films mark different attitudes and, like any work of art, capture environments that will never be exactly the same again.
Selection of short films:
“Pickled Long Cucumbers” (Katrīna Neiburga, 2017)
“God-Blessed” (Madara Dišlere, 2010, LKA)
“Cats in Riga” (Jon Bang Carlsen, 2014, Mistrus Media)
“System” (Armands Začs, 2010, LKA)
“The Birth of Amber” (Uģis Olte, Lāsma Lagzdiņa, 2014, VFS Films)
“Fable” (Žanete Skarule, 2019, Tarhun Sisters)
Žulijens is a Latvian film director and publicist who writes articles and reads lectures on various filmic phenomena, as well as participates in audiovisual art projects. Program “Natural” is made in collaboration with the Riga International Short Film Festival “2ANNAS”, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year.
Read more about Short Film Festival “2ANNAS” here.
Architectural concept of the exhibition
Līva Kreislere
"Change requires a community"
Līva is an architect and urbanist. She is actively involved in the research of urban environments and cultural processes, in her practice combining architecture with various interdisciplinary processes. She works in urban planning, development and place-making, as well as graphic design and interior design. An important part of Līva’s creative practice is the development and implementation of sustainable architecture and spatial design of exhibitions and art events.
Read more about Līva Kreislere here.
Visual concept and design of the exhibition and anthology of texts
Anete Krūmiņa
"In my opinion, exhibitions are a form of multimedia communication. By combining historical artefacts, memorabilia and art, a space is created for the exchange of knowledge and the interpretation of historical narratives in a contemporary context."
Anete is an exhibition, book and communication designer who enjoys experimenting with spatial storytelling and an interdisciplinary approach to content disclosure. Anete has created the graphic identity of the exhibition “Fieldworks”, as well as the visual concept and design of the text edition "Field notes" by Alīse Vorobeja. The graphic language of “Fieldworks” created by Anete highlights the balance within human and environment interactions, which is the dominant theme of the exhibition. It seeks for the balance between natural and synthetic, well-known areas and 'blank spaces’.
Read more about Anete Krūmiņa here.
Experts of the exhibition project
Rūta Abaja
"Causality in nature, environment and people is my main area of interest. I am excited to research and discover these complex and cleverly designed nature systems and processes; to look for answers on how to live in sync with nature, our desires and needs."
Rūta is a biologist with a profound knowledge of insect ecology, as well as a comprehensive understanding of land provided values. She is a researcher at the Institute for Environmental Solutions managing and implementing projects on natural grasslands, wetlands, forests, and floodplains. In “Fieldworks”, Rūta is involved as a specialist and consultant supporting the development of several artworks and the common concept of the exhibition.
Read more about Rūta Abaja here.
Dr. Dainis Jakovels
“Data allows us to observe the environment without emotions, to grasp the big picture and gradual changes. By researching it, I have become fond of nature. I become increasingly aware of its importance in my life, as well as acknowledge the consequences of my own actions. I grew up at a time when the norm was to throw chewing gum or candy wrappers out of the car window. I would like my children to consider sorting of waste as the norm.”
Dainis is a leading researcher and remote sensing department manager at the Institute for Environmental Solutions. The aim of the department is to design and develop research- and data-based solutions for the assessment and monitoring of environment and natural resources.
Read more about Dr. Dainis Jakovels here.
Kristīne Berķe-Ļubinska
“Nature destroys humans with the same force that humans use to destroy nature. We do not realize that by neglecting various habitats and undiscovered species we are also destroying the sources of medicine for yet undiscovered diseases.”
Kristīne Berķe-Ļubinska is a researcher and the manager of the Laboratory of Practical Entomology of the Institute for Environmental Solutions. She has gained considerable experience working with various species of insects and animals. Kristīne has worked at the Riga National Zoo for four years, where she was responsible for the breeding of various species of poison dart frogs (Dendrobatidae) and the maintenance of the animals in Zoo's collection. Kristīne has developed and updated protocols for breeding and rearing a variety of food insects and animals, including fruit flies, houseflies, broadbean weevils, cockroaches, crickets, nematodes, and earthworms. Currently, she is participating in the research "Essential oil distillation waste streams as potential source of sustainable plant-based repellent products".
Read more about Kristīne Berķe-Ļubinska here.
Dr. Aigars Kokins
Aigars Kokins is a researcher and scientific project manager of the pilot project for the production of natural mineral pigments and oil paints (2016-2019), author of the oil paint brand “Rust Earth Colours”, a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences of the University of Latvia, Master of Arts (Art Academy of Latvia).
A.Kokins' research interests include artistic and cultural processes and their changes over time, the role of symbols in cultural processes, the colours of natural minerals and the possibilities of their technological creation.
Read more about Dr. Aigars Kokins here.
Dr. Arta Kronberga
“The processes in flora are extremely diverse – starting from the inception of each plant, to the diverse ways it interacts with other plants, microorganisms, and the wider environment. I admire this diversity and I know that there is still a lot to learn. I enjoy taking part in the research process, but at the same time for me it is important that the knowledge gained does not just sit buried away in research publications, but is applied for practical use.”
Dr. Arta Kronberga is a leading researcher with more than 25 years of experience in research, specializing in plant breeding, genetic resources, and agrotechnology. Dr. Kronberga is an expert in medicinal and aromatic plant cultivation in organic farming.
Read more about Dr. Arta Kronberga here.
Uģis Rotbergs
"As a young man, when I was studying the forests I quickly realized that we are doing something wrong. We are cutting the branch on which we are sitting. As a result, I became a repairman or restorter of nature, if you like.”
Uģis Rotbergs is a forester, wildlife conservation activist, and a politician.
Read more about Uģis Rotbergs here.
Dace Zariņa
Dace Zariņa is a researcher and chief gardener at the Institute for Environmental Solutions. She has more than 20 years of experience in gardening. For more than 10 years, she has worked as a landscape architect in the UK. She has also participated in the development of urban gardens in collaboration with artists and local communities. Dace graduated from Bulduri Horticultural Secondary School, landscape design/florist speciality, as well as biodynamic agriculture. Currently, she is participating in the research “Research on plant tissue culture application for commercial propagation of endangered medicinal plants”.
Read more about the research here.
Author of the exhibition concept
Aleksejs Beļeckis
“So you say faith is not enough for you and you want knowledge, too. But knowledge does not involve spiritual effort; knowledge is obvious. Faith assumes effort. Knowledge is repose and faith is motion.”
Eugene Vodolazkin, “Laurus”
An artist and exhibition producer who believes that lack of love and tolerance is a fundamental problem of humanity. Aleksejs is the curator of the exhibition “Fieldworks” and the author of it's creative concept.
Guna Dātava
"Diversity can be characterized by humbleness and balance. They are needed in both natural and man-made environments. Each element of the environment carries a unique set of characteristics that can be crucial in maintaining balance. I ask myself – what kind of tools do I need to use so that my relationship with the environment and the people around me are functional, not just for one occasion, but at least during my lifetime.”
Guna is the project manager of the Institute for Environmental Solutions. She has organized numerous science and art events, including "WasteArt", “JCE Biennale - Biennale Jeune Création Européenne”, “European Researchers' Night” in Cēsis, “Copernicus Hackathon Riga”, audiovisual art exhibition "Tales of the Brewery" and others.
Guna is the initiator of "Fieldworks". She ensures the overall management and development of the exhibition process from the idea to technical realization. She consults and creates links between artists, researchers, scientists and technicians involved in the creation of the exhibition.
Public Relations
Magda Jēgere
Megija Mīlberga
Read more about the exhibition here.
Interdisciplinary exhibition “Field research” is organized by Institute for Environmental Solutions as part of project "Climate Responsible Agriculture for Latvia" (LIFE CRAFT) No. LIFE16 CCM/LV/000083. Project is funded by EU LIFE programme, Republic of Latvia State Regional Development Agency and project partners - Latvian Fund for Nature,Institute for Environmental Solutions, Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre and Czech Centre for Science and Society. Exhibition is funded by municipality of Cēsis.
The project partners are responsible for the content of this website, it does not reflect the official opinion of European Union. European Commission’s Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
Read more about the LIFE CRAFT poject here.
