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

Photos by Normunds Griestiņš