Art Riga Fair 2018

Latvia turned 100 in 2018, and in the autumn of 2018 ART RIGA FAIR turned five. The fifth edition opened on 27 November at the Latvian Railway History Museum and ran through 2 December.

A week of talks, films and stand presentations

The main newcomer was Japan's "Systema Gallery," taking part in ART RIGA for the first time.

The VIP and media preview on opening night, 27 November, was built around a live performance by Anna Kolosova, who had also shown work at the fair's first edition in 2014. The next morning brought the conference "Art Travel. Wonders of the World," followed that evening by "SLOW-MOVER," a programme of short films and video art. Its curator explained the idea:

This was an old idea, especially for art-lovers, who even in cinema want to see nothing but exhibitions and artists. […] There are a lot of movies inside contemporary art, but they are still really low-priced. The mission of "SLOW-MOVER" is to change that. And, of course, the main reason is to make a show! Lisa Plavinsky, art historian, member of AICA, artriga.com (2018)

The 2018 programme drew on video and film work by, among others, Oleg Zak Ponomariov, Sergey Shutov (a Venice Biennale 2001 participant credited as one of the fathers of Soviet video art), Andrey Yagubsky and Ulia Ovchinnikova, alongside footage of Dmitry Plavinsky.

On Thursday 29 November, Andris Teikmanis chaired the roundtable "Documento Futurae," joined by the Geneva-based art critic Simon Hewitt and Dr. Art. Aleksandrs Rapaports. Teikmanis' own project note frames the stakes:

Documento Futurae is an artistic research project conducted at the Art Academy of Latvia […], developed and elaborated as a self-sufficient approach to use artistic means to address, challenge and forecast future. […] Eight Future Art Scenarios is an example […] demonstrating how proposed political, economic and technological uncertainties should be used to forecast not only future scenarios but also future art role models. Andris Teikmanis, "Documento Futurae," artriga.com (2018)

The same afternoon brought a presentation of Paquita Escofet Miró's private collection from France; Friday 30 November paired a Krokin Gallery (Moscow) stand presentation with the roundtable "Art in the City Environment," an explicit continuation of a discussion first held at ART RIGA 2016, again moderated by Igors Vatoļins and again featuring Karavan Gallery's Shalva Khakhanashvili and Mitki founder Dmitry Shagin, this time alongside Everything Is Art curator Dmitry Goryachkin and journalist Vladimir Obrosov. The fair's public run closed on Saturday 1 December with gallery stand presentations and open conversations with artists; the fair itself stayed open through Sunday 2 December.

Latvian artist Vitālijs Jermolajevs marked the 20th anniversary of his theatre of shimmering paintings with a special stand presentation by the "Inner Light" gallery; the safe-deposit house "Rīgas Seifi" held its own presentation and a discussion on art-business trends chaired by Simon Hewitt; and artist Vadims Eglītis' mosaic studio offered the chance to watch mosaicists at work and take part in masterclasses.

As part of the social programme, the Centre for Opportunities for Retired People (led by Aleksandrs Grišulenoks) unveiled the installation "Latvijai 100": a work made from one hundred pairs of traditional Latvian mittens, knitted over the course of a year by craftswomen including Edīte Baikovska, Edīte Balode, Ārija Cekule and others, dedicated to the centennial of the Republic of Latvia.

Participants

Systema Gallery (Japan): Katsu Ishida, Yuki Harada, Hakuseki Iwai, Miho Ishihara; Art Embassy: Ilze Avotiņa, Rūdolfs Pinnis, Jānis Andris Osis, Heikki Ylonen; Tifana; Sergey Dott (Germany); Anna Karan (Czech Republic); Antonia: Leonīds Purigins, Igors Smirnovs, Igors Leontjevs; Jēkaba Gallery: Edvards Grūbe, Herberts Siliņš, Paulis Postažs; Art Gallery 19; Oforta Ģilde and its mobile etching print workshop; Van Golik (Poland): Janusz Golik; Ingvilda Knavina; Svetlana Miroshnichenko, Ilona Kosobuko (Belarus); Voyzx Fine Art Project (Canada): Barry Gordon (USA), Vladimir Kolosov, Scott A. Trimble (USA), Robin Walker (USA), Tick Tock Tom (Canada), Mauricio Soria (Mexico), Dimitra Bouritsa (Greece); Pavel Krutikov's private collection: Dmitriy Kondratyev, Aleksandr Silin; SeBo: Sergey Bolshakov; Art Council Latvia; Elmar Magerram; Vadims Kovalevs; Vjačeslavs Korolenkovs; Anna Abidina; Avec Elize: Elena Kaftailova; ARTMARS jewellery design studio: Sergey Marinaki, Irina Pomyanskaya; Rita Pranca Art; Gallery Tornis (Sigulda); Skulme Generation; Krokin Gallery: Konstantin Batynkov; Egons Persevics; Normunds Braslins; Alesja Melentjeva; Art V International; AGNI; Jegors Buimisters; Gocha Huskhivadze's sculpture workshop; Euroclub: Anastasija Kuznetsova-Ruf, Ivan Koršunov; Inner Light (Jūrmala): Vitālijs Jermolajevs; publisher Neputns; Baltic Auction House; Art Doll: Jelena Dashunina-Naidjonok, Irina Plohiha, Irina Sukhorukova, Kristina Carya, Natalija Bibičeva, Stelna; Denis Dytyniuk (Ukraine); Amazings by Dirk Denoyelle (Netherlands); Polina Košele; Aleksandrs Oskins; Mareks Gureckis; Art Monaro: Robert Montheur (France), Modris Rozenblūms, Iveta Rozenblūma; the "Art Therapy" strand with Motus Vita; Andris Teikmanis' "Documento Futurae" (Art Academy of Latvia); Vladislavs Lakše's "Rīgas Centrāltirgus" project; Everything Is Art Gallery; Mitki founder Dmitry Shagin, Tatyana Shagina; SPBART.com (St Petersburg); Gallery Kultproekt; Gallery Fine Art; Viktors Krotovs; Galina Dulkina's porcelain; HAPPY ART MUSEUM: Valter Liepiņš, Zigmunds Bielis, Aigars Tavkins, Aleksandrs Makarenko, Dags Vidulejs, Viktors Krotovs, Vladimirs Rešetovs, Agija Jansone; Karavan Gallery (France); Paquita Escofet Miró's private collection (France); Olivier de Rycke (France); Sergejs Dubrofs (Switzerland); Assol Sas (Kazakhstan); Art Assistant (Belgium); Gede Ngurah Merta (Indonesia); Ulfur Karlsson (Iceland).