The first “Viskaļi Contemporary Art Festival” will take place in Teika and Čiekurkalns / Article

Street art competitions, musical events, open doors and much more can be experienced at the “Festival of All-Contemporary Art”. It will take place in the period from August 26 to 28 in Teika and Čiekurkalns.

The cultural site “Viskaļi”, as Kaspars Lielgalvis, the head of the art center “Totaldobže”, notes in the Latvian Radio program “Kultūras rondo”, announced itself last August. Now a year in a circle and for a holiday there is also a special event – a festival. “This is really our first festival.

So far, many different events have taken place since July, but this one is organized by us, the residents of the future Quality of Life Design Institute.

– both artists and workshop managers and also the art center “Totaldobže”, which we have established there and started operating this summer. We try to create a festival that corresponds to our identity, ”says Lielgalvis.

The first event of the festival is “Street Art Slam”, in other words – street art competitions. 30 candidates submitted their sketches, but only half were selected to participate in the competition. On August 26, during eight hours, these fifteen artists will have to implement their creative vision on the farm of the former Vidzeme bakery at 16 Ropažu Street.

This is the fourth Street Art Slam competition and this year’s jury representative, editor of the comic magazine “Kuš” Dāvids Šilters, is pleased that not only well-known street artists, but also those working in other fields, such as illustrators, are applying for participation. Asked whether the newly created works in the townspeople could also cause ambiguous feelings, Šilters predicts: “I think that maybe even people will like it, because its wall has been gray so far, it has not disappeared. I think it could revive it. “

Art exhibitions, installations and open doors in the workshops of “Viskaļi” residents are planned for the three days of the festival.

Among those who will take a look at their work is also the knowledge platform “Curving the Dance”. “It is a place where artists can think and study openly and supplement their knowledge of body politics and related discourses. It is a place that reflects on social events, ”explains Laima Jaunzema, the artist representing the platform.

Among the various events is also a contemporary original musical “Voice from the mezzanine”. The playwright of the production Maija Treile justifies why the creative group has chosen to show “Voice from the Beletage” in the cultural place “Viskaļi”: “We feel it is very important to show the show in various places, including interesting places in Riga. I think “Viskaļi” is exactly the place where it is very important to let in and increase the presence of contemporary art. “

You can get acquainted with the full program of the festival On the website of the Quality of Life Design Institute “Viskaļi”. Entrance to the festival, presenting a certificate that either confirms vaccination against Covid-19 or confirms the fact of Covid-19 overdose.

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