Freelancer
Currently lives and works in: Cēsis, Latvia.
Practice: Curator, culture centre co-director.
I have a degree in Arts and Architecture. I have lived, studied and worked in Italy, France, Germany and Latvia. Working in and across a diversity of artistic disciplines and cultural contexts and in recent years ,I have focused on theatre and curating. For the past 3 years, I am the artistic director of Art Space MALA, in Cēsis.
Areas of interest: Documentary theatre; community activism; emerging contemporary art; micro-architecture; traditional renovation; carpentry;
Why are you a part of MagiC Carpets: I’ve been approached by our producer Sandra (New Theatre Institute of Latvia), because I was collaborating with the juvenile detention centre, and there was a strong interest to work with this special community.
What inspires you as an artist? Oh, almost anything. Hard to tell. I’ve been trained as a visual artist and an architect so, maybe, I’m more sensitive to views, objects and their composition together. But then, people around me are the best source of inspiration I’ve encountered, so far.
What do you think is the purpose of art? I like your trick questions. Ah ah. Maybe next time, also include the question: “What’s the purpose of life?”
I feel I’m less interested in the purpose and more in the process. The sequence of actions that brings you somewhere. All the tiny details, the slight improvements, derails, mistakes, that make the fabric of a practice.
Your favourite book(s): Codex Seraphinianus, Luigi Serafini, 1981
Your favourite film(s): Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie, dir. Luis Buñuel, 1972
MagiC Carpets project: SVIDANKA
A meeting place “Svidanka” was created, where audience members, in a remote way, had the chance to meet ten young men, who were born and raised in different parts of Latvia, but now spend some time of their lives together (but separately) in Cēsis Educational Institution for Minors. Currently they share the same physical space yet have their own coming of age story and unanswered questions about time inside, time outside, time before and after the sentence.
Other projects
Mākslas telpa MALA(Art Space MALA)
MALA is a “rural” community centre, devoted to host culture diversity and help forming a conscious and active community.
Shakespeare im Park Berlin (Co-founding a theatre collective operating in Berlin’s public places);
JCE curator (JCE is a Biennale presenting emerging artists from 6-8 partner countries across Europe. I’m the Latvian curator)
THEATRE workshops in Juvenile Detention Centre
Contact information
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.alberto.lv