Dāvis Kaņepe
Mar 23, 2025


Dāvis Kaņepe

Currently lives and works in: Riga, Latvia

Organisation: Kanepes Kulturas centrs

Areas of interest: Freedom, urbanism, dance as a ritual, communities, cinema

Why are you a part of Magic Carpets: I love to fly and get into new territories to practice curiosity through camera lens..

Magic Carpets project

Meeting point: Mountains

My field of interest is freedom in its broader sense and urban planning. Freedom of expression, freedom of movement, freedom to gathering are just few examples. In urban planning a term “third places” is a crucial concept for me that was coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg and refers to places where people spend time between home (‘first’ place) and work/shcool (‘second’ place). In my residency I was based in Khulo while I explored also villages of Tago, Ghorjomi, Beshumi, and the Green lake. In this exhibition I provide a visual essay of my 4 weeks stay in Upper Adjara, focusing on third places. Even if the villages are geographically near, their identities are very much different.

Past projects

Without Them

Type: Documentary movie, 26 min, director

The young people seen in the film have to spend a total of more than 60 years in prison. What to do with so much free time? Over the course of five months, six young theater and hip-hop instructors embark on a creative challenge to show the Latvian public that, contrary to popular belief, they are humans too.

Festival Kometa

Type: Interdisciplinary festival in Daugavgriva Fortress, Riga, Latvia / creative director

Everything started with an idea of a festival without advertisements, slogans and plastic, without conveyor music and artificial trends. A cosmic culture festival, where music, art and we are in harmony with nature.

Kaņepes Kultūras centrs / creative director

Culture center in the heart of Riga, Latvia

Kaņepes Kultūras centrs is a bottom-up cultural, social and political platform that engages with local & international communities, activists, and subcultures for a better, more equal, and diverse world. We strongly stand for every individual’s right to express themselves, create, and enjoy freedom. 

DO AS LOVERS DO.

What inspires you as an artist? Creativity of the human kind, the sun and electricity, nightlife and nature.

What do you think is the purpose of art? It is the fundament of our human existence (culture in a broader way).

Contacts

Email: davis.kanepe[et]gmail.com | Instagram