This weekend, from 27 to 29 September, the highly anticipated 10th edition of the contemporary Liepāja Art Forum kicks off. This year, it has embraced “Continuity” as the festival theme, which invites visitors to embark on a journey of self-awareness through diverse art forms – surrendering to the rhythms of party dancing, finding solace in the “Rothko Chapel”, reflecting on daily routines through contemporary dance, and discovering the messages visual art reveals about our world.
The festival begins on Friday, 27 September at 18:00 with the opening of the visual art exhibition “Growth Stories”, curated by Inese Rozentāle, in the Great Amber Concert Hall's art space “Civita Nova”. This exhibition will feature works by SEB Painting Scholarship winners Neonilla Medvedeva, Atis Jākabsons, Zane Tuča, Elza Sīle, Laimdota Steķe, Klāvs Lors, Madara Neikena, Zīle Ziemele, Sandra Strēle, Kristaps Priede, Anna Pommere, Krišjānis Elviķis, Madara Kvēpa, Alice Builevica, and Katrīna Biksone. The exhibition embodies the theme of growth and continuity, highlighting the development of artistic talent and exploring not only the evolution of their artistic skills but also contemporary societal issues through various techniques and perspectives.
Following the exhibition opening at 19:00, attendees will be invited to immerse themselves in a meditative journey that begins in complete darkness and silence within the Great Hall of the concert hall, gradually unfolding into a breathtaking and powerful audiovisual experience with “Awareness”, a mono-opera by Latvian composer Krists Auznieks. Performed for only the second time in Latvia, this piece goes beyond traditional music, and into the profound human journey of self-awareness through the ancient Buddhist text, the Pali. The libretto, meticulously translated, edited, and condensed by the composer, is drawn from the Satipatthana Sutta, originally spoken in the Pali language of North India during the Buddha’s time. The monodrama portrays one man's inward exploration, brought to life through the chanting of Evija Vēbere in the ancient Buddhist language, accompanied by the instrumental trio Art-i-Shock, enhanced by Katrīna Neiburga’s ethereal video projections.
The evening reaches its peak at 21:00 with the festival's highly anticipated opening party in the "Civita Nova 6" hall on the 6th floor of the concert hall. This year's event is curated by the dynamic artists Evija Vēbere and Elīna Silova. At the "Pulse" party, the duo will perform live, improvised music that reflects the mood and energy of the audience. Evija will craft vigorous dance rhythms on modular synthesizers, while Elīna complements them with ethereal chants, evoking sounds reminiscent of desert winds, coral reefs, and the mysteries of life itself. Entry is open to those 18 and older, or from age 12 with an adult companion.
On Saturday, 28 September from 11:00 to 13:00, the bustling Liepāja Peter’s Market will be transformed into an unexpected stage for “Borrowed Landscape”, a contemporary dance performance by Norwegian choreographer Heine Avdal and Japanese choreographer Yukiko Shinozaki, in collaboration with the Latvian artist alliance “IevaKrish”, Kristīne Brīniņa and other local dancers. This performance, filled with imaginative interventions, will challenge the boundaries between performer and space, offering audiences an unforgettable dance experience. Through absurd theatrical actions and thought-provoking questions, it will challenge the audience to reflect on their own routine behaviours and perceptions of the Liepāja Peter’s Market. The performance will be repeated during the same time slot on the festival's third day, 29 September.
Whereas at 18:00, the festival reaches a musical zenith with the performance of Morton Feldman’s “Rothko Chapel” in the Great Hall of the Great Amber Concert Hall. Under the direction of Kaspars Putniņš, the Latvian Radio Choir, along with top instrumentalists, will bring this haunting composition to life for the first time in Liepāja, echoing the solemn, reflective atmosphere of the original Rothko Chapel. Before Rothko Chapel, compositions by Caroline Shaw, John Cage, Steve Reich, and Toshio Hosokawa will provide an equally soul-stirring prelude.
On Sunday, 29 September at 11:00 and again at 14:00 the final day of the festival will begin with a treat for the youngest audiences. Children aged 3 to 6 and their parents can enjoy the whimsical sensory performance “Seasons” in the “Civit Nova 6” Hall, brought to life by Cēsis Small Theatre. Actresses Rūta Dišlere and Ilze Bloka will lead children on a playful journey of discovery, with each season unfolding in a joyful celebration of friendship and emotions.
The grand finale of the Liepāja Art Forum takes place at 17:00 in the Great Amber Chamber Hall, with the premiere of “Requiem for the Afterlife”, a unique musical and poetic creation conceived for this particular ocasion. Pianists Robert Fleitz and Rihards Plešanovs, alongside poet Madara Gruntmane, will guide the audience through a poetic-musical journey into the chthonic realm. This piece combines piano compositions with selected poems from Gruntmane’s collection “Aizmīlestība” (AfterLove), curated to explore themes of the afterlife. In this immersive space, each attendee is invited to confront fear and ignorance, while reflecting on life’s deeper values and meaning.
The “Liepāja Art Forum” is organized by “Lielais Dzintars” Ltd. The event is supported by the Liepāja Municipality, the State Culture Capital Foundation, “Valmiermuiža”, “Kokmuiža”, “Gardu Muti”, SEB, the Art Academy of Latvia, “VV Foundation”, and Liepāja Peter’s Market “Liepājas Pētertirgus”.
Tickets for the festival's paid events are available at the "Biļešu paradīze" box office and online at https://www.bilesuparadize.lv/en.
More information about the festival is available at https://lielaisdzintars.lv/en.
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