MARGRIETA GRIESTIŅA
SPAZ SHOP
"Store SPAZ" is a shop for the GolfClayderman fashion and household goods brand, where a cybernetic fox and a bohemian bear work. The first store branch was located in Africa, but after the contract with the beverage supplier "Monster" was terminated, the store had to be relocated to Madona, where the brand's subsidiary company, the MABOCA Gallery Universe Center 2, is also situated.
Some keywords about the exhibition: street, friendship, computer games, love, crime, the freshest sports goods, chickens, and yo-yos.
Paintings, sculptural objects, fashion, and business.
At the exhibition opening, none other than game and song master Imants Pulkstenis will ensure the musical atmosphere and cheerful mood. Theater director and music producer Tv Maskava will perform their latest and boldest act, "CS 1.6", while OG KODEK will play their favorite records.
The exhibition was made possible with support from the State Culture Capital Foundation, Erica Synths, GolfClayderman, and Sandis Vāgners.
Margrieta Griestiņa is an active artist working in interdisciplinary art collectives, including GolfClayderman (with Aksels Bruks) and Shady Ladies (with Ieva Putniņa). She is also the co-author of the MABOCA festival and the MABOCA Gallery Visuma Centrs 2.
Image credits: Aksels Bruks
ZANE ZELMENE
SHIFTING REALITIES
AN IMMERSIVE VIDEO INSTALLATION
12/10 - 29/11
“Shifting Realities,” an immersive exhibition by video artist Zane Zelmene, opens October 12 at the MABOCA gallery Visuma Centrs 2 in Madona. The exhibition explores the interplay between consciousness, identity, and perception, inviting visitors on a sensory journey that transcends traditional boundaries. Central to the work is the theme of duality—investigating the relationship between the conscious and unconscious self, and the fluid line between waking life and dreams.
Through a cutting-edge spherical video installation, Zelmene metaphorically depicts the workings of human perception. Her work reflects on the rapid technological changes affecting human existence, from artificial intelligence to digital landscapes, and how these forces redefine our perception of reality. The exhibition encourages viewers to consider how technology shapes our understanding of time, self, and existence.
“Shifting Realities” also explores personal and generational identity, with Zelmene drawing on family heritage and platforms like MyHeritage to examine the influence of history on individual identity. The theme of metamorphosis weaves through the exhibition, representing cycles of change in time, identity, and across generations.
Zelmene’s work blurs the boundaries between visual art and sensory perception, creating an environment where every sound and movement enhances the emotional impact of the visual experience. The exhibition challenges perceptions of reality while offering a transformative experience, prompting reflection on time, identity, and human experience.
Zane Zelmene is known for her work in new media, creating parallel worlds in virtual and augmented reality. Her projects combine music, 3D animation, video projection mapping, and virtual reality, merging the subconscious with technological sophistication to explore themes of consciousness, history, and the evolving digital world.
Exhibition is supported by State Culture Capital Foundation
zanezelmene.com
IMAGE CREDITS: AKSELS BRUKS
ANNA EGLE
TREJDEVIŅI
17/08 - 5/10
"Beyond thrice-nine seas and thrice-nine mountains,
There is a tree with thrice-nine roots.
Where did it come from?
Where is it going?
Its roots embrace the depths like hands,
Drinking water from a deep, underground spring,
Its branches bend close to the earth,
Nine rays reach upward.
I invite you to my solo exhibition, "Trejdeviņi" (Thrice-nine), and offer you a glimpse into the world of my tripod sculptures.
These sculptures are created based of my life’s experiences – mistakes I still need to "drain" and choices I've made that will continue to influence me. I cannot turn back time or undo what has been done, so I'm searching for a way to save myself from the despair I got myself in. While living in self-deception, I didn't see what I had available on this path – treasures locked behind thrice-nine keys. Each of these works is something sacred like a treasure I find along my journey. I believe, through my tripod figures, I'm learning to recognize and explore the darkness and light within me, and sculpture is also about the relationship between light and shadow.
One of the works represents my interpretation of a tree with 3 large roots like fingers that transform into a dynamic branching crown at the top. These hands symbolically speak of work culture as a spiritual path where, like through roots, I draw true meaning in my life.
Looking back to the past, I would have wanted to show more love to my grandmother at the end of her life. Therefore, one of my works is a dedication to women and mothers through whom we are all born. It was inspired by a long-forgotten dream where women, carrying each other on their shoulders, carried me upwards.
My tripod sculptures mostly exceed human height; they have a soft, light-reflecting texture, and laconic forms are intertwined with technically complex representations.
I look forward to welcoming you to my "Thrice-nine" world to open the curtain on the roots and crowns of our lives, light and darkness!
_______
I am Anna Egle (born 1990), a sculptor from Riga. For over a decade, I worked on sacred sculpture projects in the United States, where my works can be found in private collections. My experience in sculpture spans a wide range – from delicate, jewelry-like sculptures to large-scale projects with 6 and 9-meter-tall clay figures, later cast in bronze. In 2017 I received my master’s degree in sculpture from the Art Academy of Latvia. Since 2011, I have organized solo exhibitions in Latvia and participated in group exhibitions in Latvia and Europe.
In my practice, I use various contemporary sculptural materials. My love of art is inherited from my family. As a child, I lived with the creative processes in my parents' art studio and experimented with various materials and techniques myself. Currently, I am interested in creating works that enrich and balance the atmosphere of a space. My works are characterized by lightness, simplicity of form, and a light-reflecting texture. I often complement my works with poetic language to deepen their perception. I am also fascinated by other creative techniques, such as performative and musical dimensions as an extension of the enjoyment of sculptural works.
When creating my works, I am discovering the richness of my inner world and the world around me – what I didn't know before and didn't notice."
The exhibition is supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation.
Images by Aksels Bruks
SABĪNE VERNERE
DEALING TEMPTATION. SIRĒNAS
Sabīne Vernere (b. 1990, Kuldīga, Latvia) is a Latvian artist living in Riga. She is studying for a professional doctorate at the Art Academy of Latvia and runs the Academy’s experimental art space Pilot. Her formal education includes a Master’s from the Painting Department of the Faculty of Visual Arts at the Art Academy of Latvia and additional studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. She has been in the SKETE painting residency at Savvaļa/Savage, Latvia (2022) and JCE residence in Paris, FR (2022).
Her works are a part of the collections of the Latvian National Museum of Art, VV Foundation and the Zuzāns Collection.
On May 18, after a few days long residency in Madona, an experimental music concert and exhibition will take place at the MABOCA Gallery Visuma Centrs 2, where the Taiwanese-German project "SABIWA" and the Korean-German project "bela" will perform. In both concerts, musicians will present new concert programs created in collaboration with Latvian musicians.
The media outlet "A Closer Listen" writes about "SABIWA" as follows: "Of all the musicians whose work we have reviewed on this website, 'SABIWA' is the most eclectic. Their musical diversity is incredible, ranging from ambient music to 'gabber' and folk music all in one album."
In this concert, "SABIWA" will collaborate with Latvian experimental musicians "Posverdad Trax" and Sarma Gabrēna.
"Posverdad Trax" is Andrejs Zālītis' cross-genre electronic music project. Zālītis has previously worked on noise music-oriented projects such as "PuseH PuseW," "Pro Statik/Andriksons," and "Streets of Sex," while in October 2020, the debut recording of the "Posverdad Trax" project, "The Neutral Sin," was released by the notable experimental electronic music label "Opal Tapes."
Cellist and electronic musician Sarma Gabrēna has been described as a "sound sorceress." She collaborates with sound artists, writers, and performance artists and is also part of the group "Grab." Nature, especially the forest, is a significant source of inspiration for Sarma, and she states that she tries to use sound to remind listeners of their connection with all living things.
"bela" is a Berlin-based Korean music and performance art project that combines elements of Korean traditional music and post-club music with vocals characteristic of black metal. "bela" has collaborated with avant-garde cellist Okkyung Lee and has performed jointly with noise musician Pharmakon and percussionist Eli Keszler. "bela" performances have taken place at festivals such as "CTM" in Berlin, "Unsound" in Krakow, and "Rewire" in The Hague. The debut album "Noise and Cries" by "bela" was jointly released on April 12 by the label "Subtext" and the "Unsound" festival. The Quietus writes about the album: "This is the first time 'bela' is heard on record. And what a voice! [...] This roar resembles the gradual awakening of a sleeping beast, which then surrounds and protects us in its thicket."
"bela" will collaborate with visual artist Līga Stibe and Estonian-Latvian experimental vocalist Eleonora Kampe. The private and public opposition will be explored, transformed into dissonant, imaginary stories, associating with Freud's defined concept of the "unheimlich," where the familiar becomes eerily frightening, blurring the boundary between fantasy and reality. Using voice and breath, performers will create noises embodying memories of found objects, bringing them back from oblivion. Through the interaction of visually sound objects with performers' voices and movements, spectators will be prompted to think about belonging, roots, and place memory.
Eleonora Kampe, also known as "eleOnora," practices non-traditional vocal techniques and has been developing her voice since 2010. She works both as a solo artist and as a member of free improvisation duets such as "Road To Saturn" and "Tencu/eleOnora." Her experimental blues project "Ringhold" is also noteworthy. This year, Kampe's debut solo album - the recording "tuuljamuud" - was released by the British label "Cruel Nature Records" in October.
Kampe is among those Baltic avant-garde musicians who have managed to maintain an international reputation - her music has been played on radio stations such as BBC3's programs "Late Junction" and "Freeness."
In the exhibition in Madona, which will be open from May 18 to June 28, in addition to the aforementioned artists, Viestarts Gailītis, the godfather of Sound Forest, and analog photography master Ieva Balode will also participate with newly created artworks.
The exhibition and concert will begin on 22:00
Free entrance
The concerts are organized by the non-conformist music association "Skaņu mežs," as well as the innovative music platform "SHAPE+," supported by the European Union. The events are part of the concert series "1-2 through!", supported by the State Cultural Capital Fund. The activities of the MABOCA gallery are supported by SIA Erica Synths.
Photo credit: Zigmunds Lapsa
With pleasure we announce that April 6th at 18:00, the exhibition “SELECT” by Elza Lapiņa and Uģis Albiņš will be opened at MABOCA gallery Visuma Centrs 2.
The opening program will feature Juke rhythms by the band “Ceriņi” (Džūka Čūska & Labais Dāma) and Tv Maskava
+ a mistery guest
All are warmly welcome!
^^^^
SELECT
About the exhibition: “We invite you to view the content in order to personalize the encounter, adapt and appreciate the visual materials, and ensure an experience. By visiting the exhibition, you choose to undertake all necessary actions that reflect and individual’s ability to realize their will.”
The exhibition will be open from April 6th to May 10th.
The exhibition is supported by State Culture Capital Foundation.
Exhibition hours: Mon, Tue, Thu 12:00 – 14:00; Sun 12:00 – 16:00. For other times, please contact via Instagram @mabocafestival or by phone at 22564227
Image credits: Aksels Bruks