A fragment of the artwork, a steel spiral from the exhibition "Apologia of Despair. Epigraph", Jēkabs Voļatovskis, 2019. Publicity photo.
On Thursday, October 10, 18:00 in RIXC gallery (Riga) the exhibition “Apologia of Despair. Epigraph” by Artūrs Punte and Jēkabs Voļatovskis will be opened.
Artūrs Punte and Jēkabs Voļatovskis have planned a series of objects that are united by the idea of the artistic exploration of the mechanical nature of sound in the light of existential drama. The objects of the series, the first of which will be presented in the RIXC Gallery, are devoted to the natural limitations of human perception, serving as a metaphor for the general limitations of human life and pessimistic but stoic reflections on it. A person is able to hear sound waves in the range of about 16 Hz to 20 kHz, and by creating devices / objects and conditions that allow for an experience that is not normally available to man, we look beyond this narrow audibility corridor while marking the limits of the modest potential with which we are endowed by nature for its exploration.
The first object of the series is three sound emitting steel spirals, which acts as antennas that receive blank radio broadcasts (ie, interference) and also plays back the captured sound while receiving beats of vibration speakers. The spring-like shape of the metal structure, similar to the radio antennas of the 1960s will produce long-lasting vibrating sounds that will be different in tone from each other due to the difference in diameter, spiral length and thus the perceived range of the broadcast. Together, these three similarly shaped objects, like a peculiar metal chorus, will perform an infinite "empty broadcast song," which will turn irregular noise into a hymnic composition of generative music. The text will also "illustrate" the object - the manifestation of poetic despair. Regarding questions in relation with radio equipment the duo of artists is supported and advised by the radio enthusiast from Liepāja - Vladislavs Bogdanovs (liepaja.tk).
Artūrs Punte has been actively involved in the cultural life of Latvia and abroad since the 1990s, both as a member of the Orbita artist group and individually, he has created various literary and audio-visual projects, has been a book editor, author of published texts, exhibition curator, etc.
Jēkabs Voļatovskis is a metal artist and is a part of Latvian experimental music scene. He has a passion for unconventional and homemade musical instruments and the usage of their specific sound which gives a certain uniqueness to his performances.
The opening of the exhibition “Apologia of Despair. Epigraph” - October 10, 2019, 18:00, in RIXC gallery Lenču iela 2. The exhibition is open until November 30, 2019.
Opening hours: from Monday until Saturday 12.00 – 18.00, closed on Sundays. Admission free.
We welcome school and student groups for guided tours on Thursdays and Fridays. Apply by phone +371 67228478 or e-mail rixc@rixc.org.
Supported by Riga City Council, State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, Akka/LAA