Klavs Upacieris “The One Picture Exhibition”
“If one tries to reduce the understanding about a picture, then – actually – it is a line on a surface made by someone with a pencil or any other kind of a material that leaves traces. The material used becomes an extension of the artist’s body, the picture – an illustration of a thought, whereas the thought is not expressed in esthetical figures but in immediate, visual impulses,” says Ieva Saulite, the curator of the exhibition.
The exhibition is a result of a two weeks work – it is a single picture which consists of three parts (not necessarily in an obvious way). The first part is a picture, drawn with eyes wide open; the second part is made with eyes closed, and the third part consists of the surroundings, the outer effects – the visible world, that willingly and reluctantly affects the artwork, as well as serves as an inspiration. As soon as the drawing is complete, it becomes visible and instantly participates in the self-making in a different aspect.
In the present art world the hiding behind stylized, esthetical figures, the seeking for displacement and fresh navigation signs is still characteristic and essential. It is one of the few strategies of self-preservation in an overly “beautifulized” world.
The exhibition will be open for display in the Office gallery in the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art (Alberta Street 13; 7th floor) until November 23rd. Entrance – free.
About the artist Klavs Upacieris
Klavs Upacieris has graduated from Department of Visual Communication at Latvian Academy of Art. In his works he apparently deliberately sticks to simplicity and contemporary forms of naive art, following his own conviction that traditional drawing by hand still has a lot of unrealized potential.
Together with Brigita Zelča he has been taking part in the contemporary art festival SURVIVAL KIT 3 with an interactive drawing installation where audience was invite to use a technique (well known since childhood) for obtaining colorful replicas of coins which were later used for creating a landscape of Latvia, as well as SURVIVAL KIT 4 with the installation “Choice”.
Works of K. Upaciers have been exhibited also in exhibitions of Department of Visual Communication „Laika nav”, „Stādions”, as well as student-protest exhibition „Kultūrbloks” in VEF territory as well as in exhibition „Rough art for rough men” in Brasa prison.