The exhibition “Right now” (“Tūlīt”) is an ambitious joint work by Sarmīte Māliņa and Kristaps Kalns, which can be viewed in the Art Station “Dubulti”, starting from the 18th of June. In the exhibition the artists reflect mindsets, offering exact shapes that illustrate them. By working together since 2003, Sarmīte Māliņa and Kristaps Kalns continue to develop the method of articulation of feelings so characteristic of them and that forms the underlying basis for the content of the work. The exhibition is organised by Tomass Pārups, who is the author of the monograph about Sarmīte Māliņa, and Inga Šteimane, director of the Art station “Dubulti”.

The title “Right now” refers to the exhibition in general and to each work individually. It is to be perceived as a response to an imaginary question and at the same time an indication of emotional tension. “Right now is visible both in a ladybug that has fallen on its back and desperately trying to get back on its feet, and in the series of pictures, where a black cross is expanding frame by frame. The state of anxiety plays an important role here. In this case it is not about transient daily anxiety, but about the feeling that accompanies a person throughout their entire life and sometimes takes precedence in decisive situations. Anxiety is a constant, which is depicted in the central object of the exhibition – a vibrating metal disk, which materialises an insurmountable tension in the space”, Tomass Pārups explains.

“In my opinion, Sarmīte Māliņa and Kristaps Kalns are conceptualising the natural orientation of the mind to always seek something and to explain. They use the mind as a typical technology of man. And they assign the mind the task of finding generally known forms for specific emotions, for example, joy, fear or excitement. This creates a language of art, which many can identify with, the same as with emotions”, Inga Šteimane adds.

Sarmīte Māliņa and Kristaps Kalns are more widely known for their works “Altar” (“Altāris”) in the Church of Mary Magdalene in Riga (2006), “Love never ends” (“Mīlestība nekad nebeidzas”) in the exhibition “Beauty” (“Skaistums”) at the Art Festival “Cesis 2008”, with the exhibitions “What do I have to hide, sitting alone in the garden of roses, Kim?” (“Kas man ko slēpt, sēžot vienam rožu dārzā’’ Kim?) at the Contemporary Art Centre in Riga (2009) and “Be patient” (“Pacieties”) at the Exhibition hall of the Latvian National Museum of Art “Arsenals” (2012). Sarmīte Māliņa (1960) graduated from the Design Department of the Art Academy of Latvia (1986) and has participated in significant exhibitions that have been shaping the history of Latvian contemporary art since the end of the 1980s. Kristaps Kalns (1981) is a photographer, who has been working for the newspaper “Diena” since 2001. Prior to that, he studied at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Latvia (1999-2000). He has created a solo exhibition of musicians’ portraits in the club “Depo” (2003) and more than 80 covers of the newspaper “Kultūras Diena”.

The exhibition is supported by VV Foundation.

The project “Right now” by Sarmīte Māliņa and Kristaps Kalns can be viewed at the Art Station “Dubulti” from the 18th of June to the 2nd of September, every day from 9.00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.