WATERPIECES 2010

 

From 3-5 September, the 10th  International Contemporary and Video Art Festival “Waterpieces” took place on AB Dambis and the Betanovuss floating arts centre.

Over the years this festival has evolved from a small event attracting a narrow group of devotees to one of the most interesting and idiosyncratic events in the cultural life of Riga. And we were delighted that, in spite of the chilly autumnal weather, this year’s festival programme not only attracted its usual loyal fan base of video art lovers, but also proved to be a potent magnet for the artists themselves, art students, as well as curators from overseas, Rigans and visitors to the city.

More than 40 video works were submitted for the festival competition showcase not only from the Baltic States, but also from countries as far afield as Spain, the US and Indonesia. After a lively debate, the international jury comprised of Art Academy of Latvia lecturer Mārtiņš Ratniks (LV), Vilnius Art Academy video art lecturer Irma Stanaityte (LT) and Helen Tammemäe (EE) Editor in Chief of the arts magazine Müürileht concluded that the best ‘Waterpiece’ of 2010 was ‘In’, a work created by Lithuanian video artist Ieva Bernotaite. The artist herself describes her work as a “video performance that analyses the relationship between nature and culture.” This work was created with the assistance of a microphone with which Bernotaite conjured up a forest soundscape with a magical dexterity reminiscent of the twirl of a conductor’s baton.

In appreciation of her efforts, Irma Bernotaite was awarded the AB.LV Public Benefit Fund Prize of LVL 500 to go towards the creation of a new work of video art, as well as the Special Festival Grand Prix, a bronze ‘Waterpiece’ created by artist M. Zemītis.

We are also delighted by the fact that this year’s Top Three festival works were created by artists from all three Baltic States. A Merit Diploma was awarded to Estonian video artist Kristina Norman for her work ‘We Are Not Alone in the Universe’ which is the story of events that took place 15 years ago on a farm in Northern Estonia where a UFO was sighted. Latvian video artist Indriķis Ģelzis also received a recipient a Merit Diploma for his work “Inside/Outside” which the artist describes as follows, “We are all buried under some profession or experience. We disintegrate into ashes and are assimilated by earth, as a result of which, in becoming a tree or being mixed into concrete, we evolve into an object that shapes the surrounding environment. A carpenter becomes a table while a builder becomes part of a building. Communication goes on.”

Another award presented during the festival was the AB. LV Public Benefit Fund Special Favourite Prize, which was received by Edgars Lielzeltiņš for his work “Substitution – Gap”. The leitmotif chosen by the artist for his work was Robert Smithson’s idea that “The space between events can be called a gap. This gap exists in the form of voids which we never look at.”

Parallel to the festival programme, the premises of Culture and Arts Project NOASS also played host to a meeting of the ARTNET-Baltic-Nordic audio visual arts network which thanks to the support provided by the Nordic Culture Point attracted curators and artists from the Baltics and Scandinavia to Riga who came together to discuss the contemporary arts space in the Baltics and Nordic countries and the possibilities for its development and integration.

At the conclusion of the seminar it was concluded that as the centre point not only of the Baltics, but also that of the entire Baltic Sea region, Riga can become the city in which to represent the region’s contemporary culture trends through the organisation of similar meetings of this network on an annual basis. More detailed information about the Artnet network and its partners can be found at: http://artnet.noass.lv/

Waterpieces 2010, 3rd – 5th September:

ABOUT WATERPIECES 2010

International Contemporary and Video Art Festival Waterpieces is the only festival in the Baltic States which offers its audience unusual sounds, and performances delineated by movements and images whose unifying element is the moving image.

This year, the festival will celebrate its 10^th anniversary and to mark the occasion, a special celebratory program will be offered to the audience. Special anniversary fireflies will adorn AB dambis from 3^rd to 5^th September – projected by monitors simultaneously presenting a showcase of the all time best Waterpieces. Parallel to the best works from the previous festivals, audiences will have the chance to see a showcase of the Baltic States video art competition and enjoy the special selections of the world known video festivals and experimental film archives.

As has become the custom, the festival will also present overseas programs showcasing the latest trends in global video art including a selection of works from 13^th Japan’s media arts festival, Sweden’s art film and video archive Filmform, Oslo Screen festival, Finland’s interdisciplinary artists’ association MUU, and a program from the archive of the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen.

Since moving images have moved outside the confines of the TV screen with the advent of contemporary technology; this year’s anniversary festival will focus on works in which the medium of video is fused with other means of expression.

And, of course, honoring tradition, the winner of the festival’s Grand Prix will be awarded a special Waterpiece award. In addition, thanks to the generous support of AB.LV Sabiedriskā Labuma fonds, the artist who has created the year’s best work of Baltic video art will also receive a cash prize of LVL 500, as well as the chance to put on a personal exhibition during next year’s Waterpieces festival.

SUBMISSION OF WORKS FOR THE FESTIVAL COMPETITION

Submission of works for Baltic video art competition for festival “Waterpieces 2010″ is over!

Criteria for video works:

- Works must have been created during the past three years (no earlier than 2008) with subtitles in English or an accompanying translation of dialogue.

- The running time of a submitted work must not exceed 25 minutes.

- Additional information to be enclosed about the work: artist, title, year of production, and soundtrack.

- Works may be submitted on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM in the following formats: .avi, .DVavi, .mov, .mpg2, PAL, and DVD.

- Works must be submitted together with a completed  Waterpieces 2010 application form.

- Two high resolution images (of the work) must also be attached to the application form.

Video works for the Waterpieces showcase must be submitted no later than 1 August 2010,

Sent by post to:

Society “Culture and Arts Project NOASS”;

11. Novembra krastmala 35,

Rīga, LV-1050.

Or delivered in person to: “Culture and Arts Project NOASS” Office, AB Dambis 2, Rīga;

Alternatively, using an available FTP server, artists can also upload works for subsequent downloading, and e-mail the relevant details (user name, password, file name, etc.) to: kaspars.groshevs@gmail.com

If you have any questions or require additional information, please feel free to call: 29567606, or write to: kaspars.groshevs@gmail.com

JURY

Helen Tammemäe – editor in chief of Müürileht magazine [EE]

Mārtiņš Ratniks – Artist, Lecturer at Art Academy of Latvia [LV]

Irma Stanaityte – Artist, Video Lecturer at Vilnius Academy of Arts [LT]

PROGRAM

Friday, September 3

21:00 Opening of the festival and exhibition “The Best of Waterpieces 2000 – 2010″

21:30 Program of the Baltic video art competition

23:00 Awarding of the best Baltic video work

23:30 Program from the archive of the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen (DE)

Saturday, September 4

21:00 MUU presentation (FIN)

21:30 MUU on the Catwalk: selection of Finnish video art (FIN)

22:30 Selection of the 13th Japan Media Arts Festival (JP)

00:00 Waterpieces’ 2010 International video art program

Sunday, September 5

21:30 Selection of the 2nd Oslo Screen festival (NO)

23:00 Selection of the Art film and video archive Filmform 2009 (SE)

A detailed description of the program >>

AWARDS

Grand Prix for the best Baltic video art work 2010 and cash price from AB.LV Public Benefit Foundation (LVL 500) goes to Ieva Bernotaite from Lithuania for her video work “in”.

Special Mention goes to Indriķis Ģelzis for video work “Iekšpuse/Ārpuse” (LV) and Kristina Norman for video work “We are not alone in the universe” (EE).

In program of Baltic video art competition included also video works:

Edgars Lielzeltiņš “Aizvietojums – atstarpe” (LV)

Jeļena Glazova “Re-Start” (LV)

Ieva Bratišiūte “Pats/Itself” (LT)

Laurynas Navidauskas “La Cucina Futurista” (LT/CAN)

Jeļena Glazova “Switch” (LV)

Saulius Leanovičius “The Bomb” (LT)

Aleksandra Samuļenkova “Nobīde” (LV)

Marija Linciute “Labas, Vilnius” (FR)

Paulius Gvildys “The Bond” (LT)

Sinda Kārkliņa “Parade” (LV/USA)

Pēteris Līdaka “Imaginary Planes” (LV)