We invited Evita Vasiļjeva, an artist-citizen of the world, to the conversation, who often changes her place of residence between residences in the Netherlands, Finland, Latvia, Spain and France. Vasilieva’s sculptural works are made of very different materials – polished chrome pipes, rough fabrics, concrete, reinforcing bars, sand, dust and plaster. There have also been more poetic works, such as interpretations of Marseille lamps cast from soap, thinking of sunsets and unknown planets. They will also be visible in Cēsis.
Elina Norden: I would like to talk about the material language in your works. The concrete structures, exposed rebars suggest progress or destruction, while the soapy shapes and small flies in them are traditional vanity attributes. Do you include known allegories in your works or do you strive to create new symbols?
Evita Vasilieva: I leave the interpretation of the artworks and the search for clues up to the viewer. I hope that in my works I provide enough tools, so to speak, for the viewer to let the associations flow. It is not to be deciphered as a riddle, but rather a reading about the viewer himself.
Do you like to hear the audience’s comments, interpretation?
Yes, I really appreciate comments from others. Although I work with specific means of expression such as line, color, shape, it is interesting how different these basic elements affect the viewer of the artwork. Of course, the interpretation is influenced by the viewer’s life experience, the context in which the work is exhibited, the region, and other factors. On a comical note, a friend recently spotted cauliflower in a texture of my work. Here it can be.
“IMPULSE (J OR IMP)” (2020)
Photo: Evita Vasilieva
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This fall, the green electricity work will be exhibited at the Lyon Art Biennale “IMPULSE (J OR IMP)” (2020) originally exhibited in Survival Kit. The curators of the Lyon Biennale, Sam Bardaouil (Sam Bardaouil) and Till Fellrath (Till Fellrath), revealed that what excited them about my work was the fact that there was no specific school or anything that would indicate the authorship of the work. background. I had not thought about it before, but I am sure that I have been influenced by Latvian poetry and the emphasis placed on nature studies and outdoor work during the time of the Latvian Art Academy.
What excites you the most: the past, the present or the future?
Good question. Admittedly, I think a lot about the passage of time. In 2014, my work entitled “Models of Now, Then and Maybe” (2014) was created – now, then and probability as an intermediate model.
In my perception, time is not only linear. I often find myself in the future.
While working on the exhibition, I was already mentally preparing for the next one and projecting myself into various scenarios of the future, in which previously created works will connect with those yet to be created.
“Models of Now, Then and Maybe” (2014)
Photo: Evita Vasilieva
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The starting point or springboard of inspiration for the “Blue Bay House” exhibition is the drawing with the same name created in 1984 by the multimedia artist Hardijas Lediņas. How did you come up with such an exhibition guideline?
At the very stage of conceptualizing the exhibition, Kaspars Groševs, reviewing the possible sketches of the works, brought them together with Lediņš’s utopian Pārdaugava landscape drawing “Blue Bay House” (1984). It just seems that Kaspars knows all Ledin’s works by heart. Kaspars is often referred to as Hardy among his colleagues, as if he had been reincarnated as Hardy Lediņš.
In this drawing, Lediņš also depicted the interior – an island on which there is an elevator, a kiosk and a toilet. A sunken ship is marked outside the perimeter of the island. I’ve been interested for a while now micro architecture, or space for one person, which can be an elevator cabin, a public payphone, a kiosk, a bus stop.
As I regularly stay in artist residencies abroad, I do not have a permanent place of residence, since the optimization of the living space is also a very topical topic.
Ledin’s drawing includes a quote from American avant-garde artist Lori Anderson’s song “Blue Lagoon” (1984), from which Groševs borrowed the name of the “Lagoon” kiosk, the first stage of which, with the collaboration of nine artists and the opening with the participation of various creative characters, could be seen in Riga. Vagonu Street at the end of the summer of 2021.
Thus, the chain of inspiration continues within the framework of the exhibition at the Cēsi Art Festival.
Did you cross paths with Hardy Ledina?
Not really. Hardijs Lediņš and I are not contemporaries, but rather like-minded people.
I only heard stories about him in the days of Roses. My girlfriend and I listened to a loaned CD of Ledin’s music. At that age, it all seemed too crazy, but interesting. Sometime later, as an adult, the activities of NSRD and Ledin’s legacy became more understandable to me. The documentation of the performance “March to Bolderāja” (1991) has clearly left a lasting impression. Until recently, Kaspars Groševas and I listened to Ledin’s pieces. It is phenomenal that he still continues to move generations.
“Seven reasons why you should make time for the sunsets I-V” (2020)
Photo: Aurélien Meimaris
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what do you think site-specific purpose and outcome of art interventions? Is it the control of architecture, trying to expand the space to infinity, distort it or overcome its limits?
There is room ready-made a material with its own history and character, almost a sheet of paper to fit into. I respect and consider the characteristics of the space and want it to become part of my work. There have been situations where I literally squeeze into a room and fill it to the ceiling. However, this time, the spaciousness and light of the Cēsi Center for Contemporary Art is what I want to highlight.
The original idea changed a little, because the space itself over time influenced the conceptual design of the work. The events in Ukraine also affected the final stage of production. In this context, I wanted to depict the structures as more fragile. At the Cēsis Art Festival, both new works inspired by the space and “Same door different street”, the soap lamps exhibited in Marseille, will be on display.
The exhibition is created in collaboration with Kaspars Groševas, but other artists are involved in its creation. How would you describe creating an exhibition in Zazobe with several artists?
A very organic collaboration. I cannot say by what principles Kaspars Groševs selects artists to work with, but Kaspars is characterized by a free approach to things. Whether guided by the motto – Why not? – without trying to fit into certain frames.
I invited the French artist Kamil Bouzoubaa-Grivel, who in turn wanted to get out of his usual drawing format and focus on sculptural forms. Kamil created wind chimes for the Zilā lyča house in Cēsis.
Have you gained any new knowledge during the creation of this exhibition?
Yes, I realized that I no longer want to create works of such a large format (laughs). I began to think more about making the works movable. Returning to Paris, I have decided to work with small-scale models, as large as the table top will allow. These models are also self-contained works of art.
I believe that it is essential for artists to move towards self-sufficiency and sustainable practices.
I also work in collage and drawing techniques, but I have not shown these works publicly yet. They are still waiting for their maturity.
“Still Stands and Resilient Nows” (2018)
Photo: Evita Vasilieva
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