The inaugural edition of the Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art (RIBOCA), titled Everything was Forever until it was No More, is curated by art historian and curator Katerina Gregos. Inspired by the book of the same title by Alexei Yurchak, this edition will reflect on the process of change and how this is registered, anticipated, experienced, grasped, assimilated and dealt with at a time of rapid transformations. Including work by 104 artists and collectives (a third of which are from Baltic countries), the biennial will present 125 works including 56 new commissions, 10 public sculptures and ‘site-specific interventions’ as well as a performance programme (artists for the latter will be announced at a later date).
Schedule to run from 2 June to 28 October, the biennial will unfold across nine venues across the Latvian capital, including the former Faculty of Biology at the University of Latvia; Zuzeum, a new art centre opening its premises in a former Cork factory just in time; the residence of Latvian architect Kristaps Morbergs, the former Bolshevichka Textile Factory (Bolshevichka was one of the largest manufacturers of menswear in the Soviet Union); Art Station Dubulti (located in a functioning railway station) and Sporta2 square, a cultural centre that is home to the Museum of Contemporary Art.
The artists presenting work at the biennial are:
Agency of Singular Investigations* (Stanislav Shuripa, Anna Titova), Russia (founded 2014);
Alexis Blake, USA/Netherlands (b.1981)
Alexis Destoop, Belgium/Australia (b.1971)
Adrián Villar Rojas, Argentina (b.1980)
Andrejs Strokins, Latvia (b.1984)
Andris Eglītis, Latvia (b.1981)
Annaïk-Lou Pitteloud, Switzerland/Belgium (b.1980)
Anne Duk Hee Jordan, Korea/Germany (b.1978)
Ariane Loze, Belgium (b.1988)
Aslan Gaisumov, Chechnya, Russia (b.1991)
Augustas Serapinas, Lithuania (b.1990)
Clemens von Wedemeyer, Germany (b.1974)
Danilo Correale, Italy/USA (b.1982)
Diana Lelonek, Poland (b.1988)
Diāna Tamane, Latvia/Belgium (b.1986)
Eli Cortiñas, Spain/Germany (b.1979)
Emilija Škarnulytė, Lithuania/Germany (b.1987)
Erik Kessels, Netherlands (b.1966)
Ēriks Apaļais, Latvia (b.1981)
Eve Kiiler, Estonia (b.1960)
Femke Herregraven, Netherlands (b.1982)
Fernando Sánchez Castillo, Spain (b.1970)
Han Hoogerbrugge, Netherlands (b.1963)
Hannah Anbert, Denmark (b.1984)
Hans Rosenström, Finland (b.1978)
Henrike Naumann, Germany (b.1984)
IC-98, Finland (founded 1998)
Ieva Balode, Latvia (b.1987)
Ieva Epnere, Latvia (b.1977)
Indrė Šerpytytė, Lithuania/UK (b.1983)
Ivar Veermäe, Estonia/Germany (b.1982)
Jacob Kirkegaard, Denmark (b.1975)
James Beckett, Zimbabwe/Netherlands (b.1977)
Jani Ruscica, Finland (b.1978)
Johanna Gustafsson-Fürst, Sweden (b.1973)
Johannes Heldén, Sweden (b.1978) & Håkan Jonson, Sweden (b.1978)
Jonas Mekas, Lithuania/USA (b.1922)
Julian Charrière, Switzerland/ Germany (b.1987)
Julian Rosefeldt, Germany (b.1965)
Julijonas Urbonas, Lithuania (b.1981)
Karel Koplimets, Estonia (b.1986)
Katarzyna Przezwańska, Poland (b.1984)
Katrīna Neiburga, Latvia (b.1978)
Kerstin Hamilton, Sweden (b.1978)
Kristaps Epners, Latvia (b.1976)
Kustaa Saksi, Netherlands (b.1975)
Liina Siib, Estonia (b.1963)
Lynn Hershman-Leeson, USA (b.1941)
Maarten Vanden Eynde, Belgium (b.1977)
Marco Montiel-Soto, Venezuela/Germany (b.1976)
Marge Monko, Estonia (b.1976)
Maria Kapajeva, Estonia (b.1976)
Marina Pinsky, Russia/Belgium (b.1986)
Marisa Benjamim, Portugal/Germany (b.1981)
Mark Dion, USA (b.1961)
Maryam Jafri, Pakistan/USA (b.1972)
Melanie Bonajo, Netherlands, (b.1978)
Michael Landy, UK (b.1963)
Michael Sailstorfer, Germany (b.1979)
Minna Rainio & Mark Roberts, Finland/UK (b.1974, b.1970)
Nabil Boutros, Egypt/France (1954)
Nedko Solakov, Bulgaria (b.1957)
Nicolas Kozakis, Greece/Belgium (b.1967) & Raoul Vaneigem, Belgium (b.1934)
Nikos Navridis, Greece (b.1958)
Oswaldo Maciá, Colombia/UK (b.1960)
Orbita, Latvia (founded 1999)
Paulis Liepa, Latvia (b.1978)
Petra Bauer, Sweden (b.1970) & Rebecka Katz-Thor, Sweden (b.1982)
Robert Kuśmirowski, Poland (b.1973)
Sandra Kosorotova*, Estonia (b.1984)
Sasha Huber, Switzerland/Finland (b.1975) & Petri Saarikko*, Finland (b.1973)
Saskia Holmkvist, Sweden (b.1971)
Sissel Tolaas, Norway/Germany (b.1963)
Sputnik photos, Poland/Slovakia/Belarus (founded 2006 in Poland)
Stelios Faitakis, Greece (b.1976)
Stine-Marie Jacobsen, Denmark (b. 1977)
Sven Johne, Germany (b.1976)
Taus Makhacheva, Dagestan, Russia (b.1983)
Teemu Korpela, Finland (b.1980)
Tilman Wendland, Germany (b.1969)
Tobias Zielony, Germany (b.1973)
Trevor Paglen, USA (b.1974)
Valio Tchenkov, Bulgaria/Germany (b.1966)
Vladimir Svetlov, Latvia (b.1973)
Viron Erol Vert, Turkey/Germany (b.1975)
Jevgeni Zolotko, Estonia (b.1983)
Žilvinas Landzbergas, Lithuania (b.1979)
See here for full details on RIBOCA
12 April 2018