We invite you to the opening event for the exhibition “Latvijas zemes skaņas. Alūksne” (The sounds of Latvian soil. Alūksne) in the exhibition hall of Alūksne Art School (Ojāra Vācieša Street 2) on October 12, 2017, at 4:15 pm!

            Soil is one of the most important Latvian symbols. It helps us by giving fertility, blessing and preservation of memories. Travelling far away, important talisman for Latvians is handful of soil from the homeland. What is the sound of Latvian soil in Alūksne? This year it was studied by a society “Siguldas Mākslu serpentīns” (Serpentine of Arts of Sigulda) and the New Mediums artist Zanda Puče, implementing project “Latvijas zemes skaņas. Alūksne” (The sounds of Latvian soil. Alūksne).

Zanda Puče:

      „Alūksne is important for me because my great-great-grandfather Juhans Jurss (1874(6-?)-1957, in Tomska) was a craftsman, a boat-maker. A house built by him in Alsviķi district was called “Atmiņas” (Memories). During project implementing process I found out that his craftsman's skills he has transferred to many persons in Alūksne.
Society doesn't live with experience from just one time period — it collects and acquires older legacy. I strived to get closer to the past using different ways so I can better understand what it is. To see all the road I probably need distance and higher thinking, because I have a feeling I missed something – in so short time it was hard to obtain it — I have a feeling that it is somewhere deeper. Sometimes it seemed that past is separated from us, but I think there were moments when I succesfully experienced it. Together with people from the Alūksne region I tried to revive things that I own – my family stories, their memories which than became part of my memory, filling in “white spaces”. It would be boring if memories reflected life as a mirror. They do it with selection and maybe in this way they are getting closer to art not history. In my story about Alūksne there are no events, I try to tell it with sounds, smells and light touches. It has everything I thought important – recordings of the sounds from soil, tales of the locals, photographs and documents, fragments of newspapers, things that have been touched by people close to me.
In exhibition are used several information channels – photo, video, audio and graphics. With self made unique, but simple technology we recorded soil sounds in energetic places suggested by the inhabitants of Alūksne and the images of their spectrum create series of graphical photogramms that are supplemented by photographs produced by Armands Andže using technique which was used in the days of Mārtiņš Buclers – large format bellows camera.
The places in Alūksne region where we recorded the soil sounds are special, thus you can visit them too using map where I marked them!”
We thank to Ojārs Vēliņš, Andris Alviķis, Armands Andže, Jānis Ciglis, Daiga Jursa, Ojārs Jursa, the family of Kaulakans, the family of Korps, Jānis Līcis, Jānis Polis, Daina Saveļjeva, Vitautas Hanzenas and Kaspars Tobis!

About the artist:

           Zanda Puče on 2016 absolved the master studies graphics section in the Art Academy of Latvia; on 2015 – ISSP Photografy school; on 2014 – bachelor's programme New mediums art in Liepāja University. This year with co-financing from Sigulda region municipality and support from the society “Siguldas Mākslu serpentīns” (Serpentine of Arts of Sigulda) was implemented project “Sveicieni no Siguldas” (Greetings from Sigulda), on 2016 – project “MEDĪBAS” (HUNTING) and “EX-libri Art Voyage”, on 2015 – project “Mūsu mājas stāsti” (Stories of our house) and on 2014 – project “Pārceltuve” (Ferry crossing). More information: zandapuce.lv

          Project is supported by: Vidzeme planning region, Latvia's Culture Capital fund, Alūksne Art School. Project was implemented with co-financing from “Vidzeme culture programme 2017 supported by Latvian State Forests”.

Exhibition is open until February 2, 2018 on business days at 10.00 am to 6.00 pm. Entrance fee – for adults 1.00 EUR, for students and seniors 0.50 EUR.