Š.g. 21. aprīlī Venēcijas biennāles 59. starptautiskajā mākslas izstādē norisinājās mākslinieču dueta Skuja Braden veidotā Latvijas paviljona atklāšana. Pasākuma viesus uzrunāja Latvijas Republikas kultūras ministrs Nauris Puntulis, Latvijas Republikas ārkārtējā un pilnvarotā vēstniece Itālijas Republikā Solvita Āboltiņa un paviljona ekspozīcijas veidotājas Ingūna Skuja un Melisa D. Breidena.
Vēstniece S. Āboltiņa uzsvēra mākslinieču tālredzību par aktuālo situāciju - “savā veidā un ar saviem līdzekļiem mūsdienu māksla piedalās visu to svarīgo jautājumu risināšanā, kas ir kopīgi visām demokrātiskajām sabiedrībām”. Ar uzrunas pilnu tekstu varat iepazīties šeit:
“Excellences, ladies and gentlemen, dear artists!
Speaking in the name of the Republic of Latvia I am delighted to participate at the opening of our contribution to the Venice biennale and to greet the artists’ duo SkujaBraden, and the whole team of the organizers.
After the break caused by the global pandemic we, the Latvians, are proud once again to be part of the international community of contemporary art and are willing to celebrate the creativity and excellence with the highest quality of art. We all know the saying: “When the cannons are heard, the muses are silent”, but on this occasion we disagree with it. The majority of participants at this year’s Venice biennale would disagree with that and the majority this time are women artists, some 90 %. While brave men and women in Ukraine fight against the Russian aggressors, the democratic and conscious world has not only to deliver the tangible help, but also to multiply humanity, compassion and a wise world view. Contemporary art is a vast field of sensitive thinking which can widen the horizon of human experience. In its own way and with its own means contemporary art participates in the tackling of all important issues which are common for all democratic societies. This is the principal difference between the contemporary art and the great classical art of previous ages.
The common voice of the artists’duo SkujaBraden is explicitly contemporary, dealing with society, its narratives, politics, imagery, phantasies and a lot more. This voice is strengthened in the creation of each and every porcelain object by the four common hands in the life and work of Ingūna Skuja and Melissa Braden. This voice conveys humor and wit, it shows faces of joy, despair and evil, it helps to survive in the surrounding ocean of injustice and cruelty through its closeness to real life.
This particular exhibition “Selling water by the river” emphasizes the paradoxes of human wisdom, where different cultural identities, femininity and feminism, calmness and expressivity meet.
I am myself genuinely fascinated how such a traditional medium as ceramics can convey such a topical and cutting-edge content. I am genuinely fascinated by those seemingly endless images, by those somehow surreal and fairytale-like sculptures which give testimony not only about the talent but also about the huge amount of work done.
I am sure that in our uncertain times this exposition will give the spectators a necessary emotional and intellectual balance to find the strength to survive, to fight, to help, to love. I am sure that your voice, Ingūna and Melissa, will be heard by many people. It will be as appreciated here, as by us back home.
In addition to the artists, I would like to thank the exhibition team, its curators Andra Silapētere and Solvita Krese, as well as all the creative and technical collaborators. Last but not least, my thanks go to the main supporter of the show – Latvian Ministry of Culture and to other supporters, big and small.”
Foto: Ēriks Božis