valerijakravale-blog

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#ARTWORLD

Liva Rutmane is a Latvian artist published a greeting about future in VETO magazine (Latvian culture, fashion and art magazine). 

“The future seems like too closely written dot on linear scheme. As a bus stop in Gluda region.“ 

I really liked the cynism of her predictions of future and abstract and absurd artworks she decided to publish. I liked her care-free attitude that feels through images.

I recommend this to mixed media lovers.

source: VETO magazine nr.41 (autumn/winter 2017-18)

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If humans propagate, spread, build, consume, and pollute beyond the limits of our tiny spinning orb, we will have problems. 

Christopher Ketcham analyzes work written in 1973 Limits on global economics and discussing the future of business-as-usual and where it would lead us as a civilization. 

I find it really interesting with all facts and own analysis of reviews and comments on theme of economic growth and few books written in the past and nowadays discussing this fragile way of consumerism.

source : https://psmag.com/magazine/fallacy-of-endless-growth

[valerijakravale-blog]

#ARTWORLD

LAST EXIT UNDERCLASS - discourse article on pop-culture aesthetics based on Lana Del Rey’s “Ride” music video.

I would like to argue, therefore, that the present aesthetic interest in under-privileged social groups and societal outcasts results from a desire to escape the ubiquitous logic of a dominant capitalist system. A successful middle class, itself endangered by potential social decline, considers the lower class not only as a danger, but as a projection of an existential way of life. A life, reduced to basic needs and a particular emotional veracity. That, at least, would be my reading of the video.

Karen van den Berg writes an analysis of Lana del Rey’s RIDE music video and discusses symbolism in it realting to modern tendencies and idealizing of freedom of lower classes in America in pop culture industry nowadays.

I learned a good metaphor of how to describe “biker society” and this idol that Lana tries to represent. Karen calls it “a dirty-yet-free post-labour society”. It was really interesting to watch the music video and follow an article with facts and possible symbolism interpretation.

source: http://www.metamodernism.com/2013/05/01/last-exit-underclass/

[valerijakravale-blog]

#Photography World

Life through a Lens (2008) is a DOCUMENTARY on photographer Annie Leibovitz.

The money follows her life from 1960s and portraits of hippies and her career start at Rolling Stone till 2008, few years after her friend died and her kids.

It was really inspiring for me and the fact how close can a person get to someone to show something more than just an appearance, to tell a story within 1 image. I was really impressed of honesty she showed and the true passion with photography throughout her life.

[valerijakravale-blog]

#ART WORLD

Magdalena Abakanowicz (1930-2017) was a Polish sculpture artist that made amazing projects covering WW2 topic.

In 1943, drunk, German soldiers broke into her home and shot her mother, severing her right arm below the shoulder. 

Article was a memoir to the artist and it was really interesting to read her story as biography and story on her art related to events in the past.

I find this interesting to everyone who knows Poland’s role and story during WW2.

source: https://www.wallpaper.com/art/magdalena-abakanowicz-retrospective-wroclaw-poland

[valerijakravale-blog]

#WORLD AROUND

The article is funny and sad at the same time. Basically, it’s a review of Google search rankings for 2017. 

It made me think. I find it funny in its concept that people don’t use trusted information of ask for an advice in person, but they ask Google “how to”, for example, “make solar glasses” (one of the popular searching in 2017) or “break up with my girfriend”. 

If you spend a few minutes thinking about this, it gets sad.

source: https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/13/16771108/google-year-in-trends-search-results-algorithm-how-to

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“We are now at a tipping point in terms of the number of artists working in these areas, but institutions are still catching up. Technology is changing the way we feel, the way we look at things, the way memories are constructed. This is fast becoming our reality and we need to push things forward.”

Anny Shaw writes an article on upcoming exhibitions throughout US right now. The topic for all of them is Internet and technology within art.

You can get the sense of contemporary art by reading such an article. Artists using such more technologies and Artificial intelligence. It’s their feelings and predictions to the future, it’s exhibitions about how they see the world now and how it will be. 

For me, it’s very interesting because I do feel the invasion of technologies and overuse of Internet in our everyday lives, but I don’t feel that dark about the future. I do feel that at one point everything will be automated and run by robots, so many people will starve of unemployment, which they re-call as economical suffering. 

I would visit one fo those exhibitions, but few images looked too straight - forward and childish to me, while trying to cover this topic.

source: http://theartnewspaper.com/feature/artificial-intelligence

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#WORLD

Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was Danish philosopher and father of existentialism. 

In this 15 min video, author tries to sum up the books and ideas by Kierkegaard and talks about despair and anxiety.

I was impressed by one thought, that basically someone feels despair because of his principle “to be either Ceasar or noone”, and when one fails to be Ceasar, he can not accept being no one and can not bear the despair about being no one.

I recommend this video for people who like philosophy and don’t have time to read that much.

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw36V_iXR2k

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#PHOTOGRAPHY WORLD

Lina Scheynius is German/Swedish photographer that creates dreamy photobooks and recently made 08 book, since 2008 releasing  1 one book per year. 

This book is abstract, about moments that matter to her and are really important. As she state in interview, that this is very emotional to her, because this year she had many ups and downs. The book is made in very poetic way and full with dreamy, snapshot type images.

I find the photographs very touching and astonishing not as a single image, but as a series.

I recommend to everyone who likes poetic photography. 

[valerijakravale-blog]

#WORLD AROUND

Barnaul is the capital city of Altay region, Russia. Barnaul is located almost in the middle of Russia.

This article tells a story about some people that live in the basement since 1980s (which has not been renovated). Since 2014 it has been a fight between dozens of people living like this and municipality of Barnaul because they want to throw out everyone who lives there and re-make this space for kickboxing club. The residents got 3 dogs from an orphanage so if someone comes to throw them out, they attack.

I know it’s not the first time something like this happens. It is very common in Russia and they fail to have enough renovated apartments for everyone in every city of Russia because the country is as big as half of the world. It is really sad.

I recommend this to read everyone who speaks Russian or use Google Translate just to see what Russian reality looks like. If you like culture shocks, the images are also for you.

source: https://www.sibreal.org/a/28818088.html

[valerijakravale-blog]

#PHOTOGRAPHY WORLD

Elina Ruka is Latvian born America based photographer who seeks for realtions between water and human in her art. It is very constructive and conceptual idea of her approach, which I love.

She speaks about forms and fluidity water creates and lines she plays around with.

I connected with those images because they are very simply made, but sharing the intention very good to the viewer.

I recommend this to everyone to widen their photography circle.

[valerijakravale-blog]

“began as a cenotaph to those people who died from the violence in Suleman’s home city of Karachi. She set out to make one bird for every death. But she was unable to keep up with the pace because people were dying faster than she could hammer out a single tin bird.” about artwork 

“I don’t want to be there when it happens“ is installation and media art exhibition, currently held in Perth, Australia. It features many Asian artists that suffered from Partition of India in 1947 or Palestinian and Pakistan artists, that suffered from war and violence.

This review was touching, describing and interesting to read. Or maybe it’s just because the themes of the works presented in this exhibition are really important but left aside. We cry over terorrism and 9/11 but we probably don’t even know about Partition of India in 1947, 2 million victims and violence to women and children because of this British India’s action. Author describes every art piece by heart and gives some context, which makes it juicy and interesting to read further.

I recommend to read this review for everyone who is interested in art of outside of Europe.

source: https://www.artlink.com.au/articles/4636/i-donE28099t-want-to-be-there-when-it-happens/

[valerijakravale-blog]

#WORLD AROUND

This is an interview with historican Jörg Hackmann from Poland. He is known for his numerous publications on history of Poland, Baltic states and Germany. Jorg has been a guest for a discussion about collective memory of Europe in Riga this autumn, after which he gave this interview.

 - Jūs to komisiju vērtējat pozitīvi? 

  - Protams, jo tas parāda, kā rīkoties ar šiem sarežģītajiem jautājumiem. Jo ir tik daudz dažādu viedokļu un pieeju vēsturei.

“ - Do you evaluate this commission (between Poland and Germany on WW2 Theme) positively?

 - Of couse, because it shows how to manage those difficult questions! Because there so many opinions and ways how to look at history.” 

Jorg makes quite a few points which I like - he talks openly about right-wing parties. He discusses AFD (Alternative for Germany) and analyzes the facts and speaks honestly about their populism and using WW2 only as a shield to raise money for their political campaigns. 

He speaks generally about collective memory of Europe and how do we make ourselves look and what will next generation think about the beginning of Europe - holocausts or we can try and change it by not making an emphasis on past mistakes? 

I recommend this not just to latvians, but to polish, german, estonian and lithuanian people just to see this topic - collective memory of EU - from another point of view.

[valerijakravale-blog]

#ART World

Erbossyn Meldibekov (1964) is Kazakh artist who creates his work on his country’s history and political issues.

In this article, we learn more about his project Family Album (2011) which focuses on juxtaposing past in USSR and now, as independent Republic of Kazakhstan. He takes photos from family albums from Soviet times and he reaches to families after 30 years, asking them to pose at the same place again.

I really liked this project and article because it feels and looks like the story of my country. Also, as I am going to Kazakhstan and Kirgizstan this February, I am really interested in its art scene.

I recommend this article to everyone who is interested in politics and everyone for whom Western world looks to “unproblematic” and boring.

[valerijakravale-blog]

#PHOTOBOOK

Maurice van Es is a Dutch photographer who also graduated from KABK in 2013. He made a photobook “Now will not be with us forever”, which is a collection of 8 small conceptual photography books.

My favourite ones appeared to be “The past is a strange place” and “Blank starting points”. The book about the past is just a collection of beautiful and simple photographs, using direct flash and taken from photographer’s archive.

“Blank starting points“ is a conceptual book which is the collection on dirty spots and points photographer found in his parents’ house. His ideas and books are simple, light and not overthought. 

I recommend this book to everyone who loves conceptual photography and contemporary art world and its ideas.

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The simulation here does not present a scenario of a possible future, but a post-human stream of consciousness of the present that raises questions about both the sustainability of that present and the possibility of any one future story at all. 

Ed Atkins is London based artist (1982) known for his video art and poetry.

In this article, author talks about his work Altergorithm and describes, what it is and how it changes the art world. He reconsiders a way the winds of modern art are blowing and talks about recreating a modern world as an algorhythm of “as if” something would happen. 

People who are interested in AI, future science or anyone who believes/ just interested in computer manipulation theory should read this.

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Author of this article Dean Kissick makes it short and clear in his article. 

He writes consciously about North Korean dicator and US President, which are convertet into a meme nowadays and not perceived as seriously as they should. He argues that the world is on its nuclear war edge and the threat is real.

I really liked the article because it’s kept short, beautifully written and professionally designed. 

source: https://www.spikeartmagazine.com/en/articles/downward-spiral-6