Artist talk: Valdis Celms and Arturs Riņķis

DESCRIPTION

This event offers an opportunity to learn more about two artists of the exhibition The Other Trans-Atlantic. Key representatives of Latvia’s kinetic art Valdis Celms and Arturs Riņķis are both still active on the scene.

Valdis Celms will speak about his early works of the 1960s—a series of photographs that captured experiments with rotating forms and mirrors made during his studies at the Art Academy of Latvia. He will also show his photographic collages of the 1970s—utopian projects for public spaces in the city of the future based on his studies of constructivism.

Arturs Riņķis will continue with a discussion of kinetic art of the early 1970s. As a synesthete, he is interested in organic connections between color, movement and music. Riņķis will present his experiments in dynamic color painting and his proto video Breath (1984), based on the work on the same name by Estonian electronic composer Sven Grünberg. He will also speak of his long-term project In the Middle of Nowhere—an annual festival of kinetic art and New Age music that takes place in the art garden on the artist’s land near Sabile.

ABOUT THE LECRURER

Valdis Celms graduated from the Art Academy of Latvia in 1970 and has been exhibiting his work since 1972. He is a member of the Latvian Union of Artists (1972) and Union of Designers (1994). In 1978, he was among the organisers (with Arturs Riņķis and Andulis Krūmiņš) of the landmark exhibition of kinetic art Form. Colour. Dynamics in Riga. Celms has contributed to the development of connections with Russian kinetic artists, such as Viacheslav Koleichuk and Bulat Galeyev. In 1979, 1987, and 1992, Celms, Arturs Riņķis, and Andulis Krūmiņš took part in Tsvet i Muzika [Colour and Music] Festival in Kazan on invitation from Galeyev. Valdis Celms is the author of the book Latvian Ornaments and Signs (2007). In the recent years, he has created space and scenic design for many folk song and dance festivals and celebrations. In 2013 he had a solo exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Riga. He lives and works in Riga.

Arturs Riņķis graduated from the Art Academy of Latvia in 1974. Working as interior designer for public buildings, he also made kinetic works, mobiles, and dynamic color paintings produced with the help of a device of his own design. He has been exhibiting his work since 1976 and a member of the Latvian Union of Artists since then. In 1978, he was among the organisers (with Valdis Celms and Andulis Krūmiņš) of the landmark exhibition of kinetic art Form. Colour. Dynamics in Riga. He has taken part in video festivals in Switzerland, Austria, Poland (all in 1991), and Spain (1992). In 2016, he had an exhibition (with artist Iveta Vaivode) at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Riga. In 2015 he was nominated for Purvītis Prize. Arturs Riņķis lives and works in Riga.