Klavs Loris

Queen before your eyes

In the latest Klavs Loris’ exhibition “Queen before your eyes”, the viewer can observe references to different international artists – their artworks and themes, which are dominated by primordial, sexual energy.
“A cause, an idea, work, the zero point – a sequence, which highlights the outline of this exhibition. Upon finishing the paintings, they don’t have any social, cultural, political or conceptual message; they are a new starting point. From the moment of completion, the artwork is self-sufficient, and all that is left to do is to observe it. The cause of creation has an insignificant role on the viewer’s emotions and further interpretations about that. A relative no-mind state would be a triumph of the viewer.
The artist’s highest state of consciousness is at the moment of creation. Reaching this state, changes the understanding of time, the need for food, sleep and other bodily needs disappears. When mind enters the hyperfocus state, ideas become clear, bright and arise one after another. This kind of stream of consciousness historically has been recognized among many cultures and explained as “inaction in action” or “doing without doing”.
Upon finishing the paintings, they become neutral, because previously mentioned state is abruptly stopped, and sometimes there is even a feeling that the author of the work could be someone else. Some sort of addiction, which holds a desire to return and stay at the state of creation for longer.
Philosophy and historical processes, and the available literature generate a big influence on my creative work. The visual and written heritage that is left to us, as well as transmitted values affect me on a personal level. An essential part of the creative process is the text. Keywords and concepts by philosophers and thinkers, and writings from different cultures around the world are as a “backbone” for the paintings, from which the visual side of the work is derived later on.

While the visual language – colour fields and rhythm compositions, brushwork and textures – I have adopted from such artistic movements and artists as neoexpressionists Georg Baselitz and Anselm Kiefer, abstract expressionist Frank Stella and colour-field painter Ellsworth Kelly.” – Klavs Loris. 

Klavs Loris (1988) has graduated from the Art Academy of Latvia (2014). Since 2007, he has been participating in group exhibitions, and organized 6 solo shows. In 2015, he has received an international recognition – Grand Prix at the JCE. Jeune creation Europeenne. Biennale d'art contemporain in Paris, which gave the painter an opportunity to stay at a residency in Paris and organize a solo show in Brussels, at the gallery Hangar H18.
Klavs Loris’ artistic style can be observed in his large-scale works, where the painter continuously experiments with techniques, combining classical oil painting with more modern mediums and materials. During these experimentations, Klavs Loris has developed his own author-technique, which combines photography, digital print and classical painting.