JURIS PETRASKEVICS

 „dzipies”

Juris Petraskevics’ exhibition consists of large-scale and smaller-scale charcoal and pastel drawings of exquisite webs. The title „džīpīes” [ˌdʒiː.piːˈes] might seem as incoherent letter sequences, however, phonetically it creates an association with the possible location, indicated and controlled by the World Wide Web. Anyone can be apparent, found and perceptible, but not always comprehensible.

“Gravitation of memories and experiences renders an awareness of one’s being in a specific place and time, creates peculiar layers of personal Spacetime, making them unique and multidimensional.
These deformations are well-discernible in rarefactions and thickenings of coordination networks, and even though in some places structures and undertones of abstract modulations turn into more prominent, concrete characters, to an aloof observer they frequently stay unreadable and inexplicable. For this reason, time has a crucial role in both making of the drawings, and their comprehension. The interwoven message of the drawings differs – whether looking at them closely, or in passing, from afar or at a close range,” Juris Petraskevics, 2016. 

 
Wandering Toys 2. 2015, paper, charcoal, pastel, 64x90 cm

Juris Petraskevics (1953) has graduated from the Art Academy of Latvia, the Department of Graphic Art (1972-1978) and in 2003 obtained a Master of Arts at the Art Academy of Latvia.

Juris Petraskevics is a professor at the Department of Graphic Art at the Art Academy of Latvia. Since 1972, he’s been participating in exhibitions – organized more than 15 solo shows and participated in more than 20 group shows in Sweden, Denmark, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.

Since 1980, Juris Petraskevics has been working as a graphic designer for books. For the animation movies “Miega vilcieniņš” (1998, studio “Dauka”) and “Neparastie Rīdzinieki” (2001, studio “Dauka”) he received Latvian national film award Lielais Kristaps.