07.12.2017 - 09.01.2018

Galerija "Māksla XO"

Elizabetes iela 14, Rīga, LV 1010

FRANCESKA KIRKE

Somebody

"The exhibition is an homage to “displaced persons”.
Over the years collected visual observations, which are related to the refugee crisis, the mass movement and displacement of people. A situation that reminds of “purgatory”.

The exhibition asks the viewer a question, if at the time, when the amount of the visual information is so immense, the viewer’s perception and empathy diminishes, or not.
Hence, the title – “Somebody” – where there is someone, but “not – me”.

Colours and textures have also changed the meaning of their perception – gold as a texture, but the colour now is associated with a golden foil, which is used to cover – “someone” –who’s gotten into an extreme situation. And the woman who has wrapped herself in the foil has become the new queen..." - Franceska Kirke, 2017.

Franceska Kirke (1953) has graduated from the Art Academy of Latvia (1978), and in 1987 completed Workshop of Eduards Kalnins at the Art Academy of Latvia. Franceska Kirke made her debut on the art scene in the 1970s. Her works resonated with the relativism of the systems within the society and Postmodernism.
Since 1977, Franceska Kirke has organized 26 solo shows, and participated in more than 140 group shows in Latvia and abroad, for example, Art Moscow (2004–2010), Scope Basel (2014, 2015), Scope New York (2015), Scope Miami (2014, 2009) and other.
Franceska Kirke’s works are in public collections in The Latvian National Museum of Art (Riga, Latvia), Latvia Artists' Union Museum (Riga, Latvia), Swedbank contemporary art collection (Riga, Latvia), Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University (New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA), Museum Ludwig (Cologne, Germany), The State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow, Russia), and numerous privet collections around the world.

More about exhibition:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9lH1wWRXZ0