"Garden in Flight" (2023)
Archival material, photographs, personal items, audio: 15 min
By highlighting one individual story every week during Survival Kit 14, the work "Garden in Flight" is a growing archive looking at the experiences of second-generation Afrolatvians brought up in a country navigating its recently reaffirmed national identity.
Žulijens’ exploration stems from a childhood memory: the artist's father shared a story about a fellow student's daughter who, upon returning from school in one of Riga’s residential districts, had painted herself white with chalk. Over time, the artist has internalized this experience, grappling with how to convey an ineffable sensation – a feeling etched into the skin yet defying easy verbal expression.
Žulijens Nuhums Kulibali (1994) is a film curator, lecturer and publicist from Riga. He has lent his expertise to several prominent festivals, such as the Riga International Film Festival (RIGA IFF), Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS, as well as the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia (PÖFF). In conjunction with his curatorial work, he has actively participated in the production of various art events in collaboration with Kino Bize, and the Homo Novus Contemporary Theatre Festival. Presently, he serves as a project manager and film publicist for the contemporary culture NGO "Ascendum".
/ Photo credit: Kristīne Madjare / Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art