28.06. - 24.07.2018

Galerija "Māksla XO"

Elizabetes iela 14, Rīga, LV 1010

IEVA ILTNERE

Sum

“The theme of the exhibition is Sum. It is about addends – the image is put together from pieces, which are today’s fragmented perception – both informative and visual. In the exhibition creating process, I turned aside to layers, and TIME became the main theme. It is like in life – we put layer over layer, and then time peels off some parts and uncovers the previous ones. Accidentally found embroideries are also time. I painted from the left side, and by chance came to a certain kind of pointillism. In the exhibition, there will also be one round painting, called “Point”, because a point is the beginning of everything"- Ieva Iltnere, 2018.

The exhibition “Sum” opens up the next page in Ieva Iltnere’s creative work. If the previous solo show “Implant” was a conclusion of the exhibition cycle of the past years, then “Sum” begins a new cycle.
The concept for the exhibition “Sum” in some way was already outlined in few of the works from the exhibition “Implant”, for example, combining in one painting Yoshitomo Nara’s dog and Kazimir Malevich’s “Black Square”, thereby creating a new image. However, in the latest works this principle has been developed even further, constructing a new entirety from several parts, thus attaining already a new sum of one’s feelings and experience. This addition, combining two and more pieces together, unifying seemingly incompatible parts deconstructs and fragments the world around us.
Each painting is like a sum up of the experience. It reflects upon ongoing changes in the world: images and information that change one another in a lightning speed. The only way to perceive these “news” is in “pieces”, memorizing some short message or an easily perceived image. A certain kind of dissonance is created, while putting together these different fragments. It can reveal itself not only in the narrative of the painting, for example, unfolding the scenario “before” and “after” within one image; but also in formal solutions, where part of the painting can be executed in black-and-white colour palette, while other part is colourful.
However, the sum can characterise not only what is this time, but also who you are. A painter is always in motion and every new experience, every painting, every next exhibition is never forgotten and “deleted”. It is a piece of the ego, a piece of the painterly style that has been developing over the years and come to the characteristics of today. Every period has a certain meaning, and only by summing them up and putting together, it is possible to reach artist’s individual style. Significantly, this year marks 40 years since the first exhibition that Ieva Iltnere took part in, hence the solo show “Sum” is without a doubt the sum of her experience as a painter as well. (Jana Jakobsone / Maksla XO gallery)

Ieva Iltnere graduated from the Art Academy of Latvia (1982). Participates in exhibitions in Latvia and abroad since 1977. Arranged 24 solo exhibitions; participated more 90 group exhibitions.
Most important of them during last years – "Abundance and Ephemerality. Still Lifes from Finnish and Baltic Collections", Kadriorg Art Museum (Tallinn, 2017), "Hyperrealism. Movement Manifestations in Latvia", Latvian National Museum of Art, Exhibition Hall Arsenals (Riga, 2017),   "Nine Artists From Latvia” (NewYork – Washington – Chicago – Riga, 2012), "Changing Perspectives" 15 years of the ECB’s Art Collection, European Central Bank (Frankfurt, 2012), ''Territory of Art'', Volkhonka Fine Art Centre (Moscow, Russia, 2010).
Ieva Iltnere’s paintings are included in public collections: Latvian National Museum of Art and Latvian Contemporary Art Museum Collection in Riga (Latvia), Ludwig Museum in Aachen (Germany), ECB’s Art Collection (Germany), State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow (Russia), Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University, New Brunswick in New Jersey (USA), and e.c.t.