[artinfo] (fwd) a newspaper as exhibition space

[Janos Sugar]

   From: "Martins Vanags" <martins at kpp.lv>

   Unique newspaper published in Latvia - art exhibition about the EU
   18 September 2003
   Latvia's largest daily newspaper "Diena" (The Day) has published a
   supplement "The People's Vote" or in plain English "Referendum". The
   supplement consists of works by 14 contemporary artists and
   philosophers
   on the subject of the September 20 referendum on Latvia's accession to
   the European Union.
   What makes it unique is that the published works are not reproductions
   or photographs, but they have been specifically created for the medium
   -

   the newspaper. A newspaper has become an exhibition space. The print
   run
   was 75 000, which, for a country of only about 2.5 million people, is
   a
   considerable feat.
   The artists span four generations; from the well-known veteran stage
   designer and artist IlmÇrs Blumbergs to the 23 year old Evel¥na
   Deiãmane. Also represented id the the middle generation that was
   active
   in the great changes in Latvian art at the end of the 1980s and the
   beginning of the 90s, when Latvia regained its independence after 50
   years of occupation by the USSR.
   All these artists have gained considerable international recognition;
   for example, IlmÇrs Blumbergs has taken part in the Vennice Biennale
   and
   this year, he was awarded the Silver Medal at the Prague Sculpture
   Quadrenniale. L¥ga Marcinkeviãa and îriks BoÏis have taken
   part in the
   European "Manifesta" biennale. Kristaps œelzis was at Ars '95 in
   Helsinki and many other Nordic projects. As part of the F5 group, Ieva
   Rubeze and L¥ga Marcinkeviãa represented Latvia at the 25th Sao
   Paulo
   biennale and in 1994, O†egs Tillbergs was awarded the prestigious
   Nordic
   art prize "Ars Fennica".
   The exhibition was curated by Helïna Demakova and published by the
   non-profit organisation Cultural Pilot Projects. The project was
   supported by the newspaper "Diena" and the Konrad Adenauer
   Foundation.
   "The People's Vote" can also be viewed at:
   http://www.kpp.lv/en/projects.php
   Further information:
   MÇrti¿” Vanags, Cultural Pilot Projects
   + 371 9259416

   kpp at kpp.lv