Exhibition “Border Breakers”

“Youth music,” “a social phenomenon,” “noise and thunder,” “spiritual AIDS,” “modern folklore,” “ideological sabotage,” “the most democratic art form,” “a special kind of energy,” “destiny,” and “terrible culture”…

Rock has been called many things, and the development of rock music in Soviet Latvia took place under very different conditions than in Western countries. But it happened. Liepāja has always been considered the rock capital of Latvia. It was here that bands like Līvi, Credo, Corpus, Kaktuss, Neptūns, and others were born – the bands that laid the foundation for Latvian rock music. The festival “Liepājas Dzintars” became a place where the new Latvian music scene was formed. In the context of Soviet stagnation, it was a window to the world – a place where people could hear real, uncensored music.

In an environment where a rock concert could be seen as an act of political defiance, Latvian musicians created the sound of freedom despite the lack of information, massive shortages in stores, and the constant risk of being banned for any deviation from the official Soviet line. Young Latvians searched for underground recordings, exchanged vinyls, listened to Voice of America, and created their own music.

The exhibition created by Viktorija Trofimova-Gaiķe and Madara Matisone, based on the contrasts of two worlds, allows visitors to step into the world in which Latvian rock was born – to explore and interpret the influences of Western culture. The exhibition “Border Breakers”, as part of the project “Cultural Adventure Touching on Rock”, gives visitors the chance to feel the rock scene in various ways – by exploring objects, reading facts, pausing and listening to the sounds that could be heard on both sides of the Iron Curtain.

Unlike in the West, where by the 1980s rock had already become part of show business, in Latvia it was not a commercial genre. Rock was a cry of the soul, a challenge to the system, and an inspiration for thousands of young people yearning for change. This genre became a symbol of national revolution. Latvian rock songs remain relevant to this day and continue to inspire decisive action, reminding us that true change can begin with just a few chords – chords that cannot be silenced.

The exhibition “Border Breakers” is part of the project “A Cultural Adventure Touching on Rock”, which is implemented with the financial support of the Foundation “Liepāja 2027 Foundation” and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.