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ISSP Gallery, Riga, October, 2023
Arnis Balcus was born in Riga, Latvia. He is a documentary photographer whose work focuses on exploring Latvian identity, history, and society. He approaches his subjects in a straightforward, raw manner, using photography as a means of documenting and preserving the world around him. Through his images, he aims to capture the essence of his subjects, whether they be environment, society, or youth.
In his work, Balcus seeks to shed light on the complexities and nuances of Latvian life, and to challenge viewers to think about the world in new and unexpected ways. His images are powerful and evocative, inviting viewers to look beyond the surface and to consider the deeper meanings and implications of what they see. Ultimately, he hopes that his work will inspire people to engage more fully with their own identities and the world around them, and to see the beauty and significance in even the most mundane or overlooked aspects of life.
[Above text written by AI ChatGPT]
EDUCATION
2004-05
University of Westminster, London, Photographic studies, MA
1998-2002
University of Latvia, Riga, Communication studies, BSc
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023
The Scene, ISSP Gallery, Riga
Latvia via AI, Riga Photomonth gallery, Riga
2018
Exhibition After Exhibition, Latvian Museum of Photography, Riga
Victory Park, Central European House of Photography, Bratislava
2017
Victory Park, Opera and Philharmonic - Podlasie European Center for the Arts, Bialystok
2015
Beyond the Blue River, Rummet at Fotogalleriet[format], Malmo
2014
Victory Park, Mukusala Art Centre, Riga
Victory Park, Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow
2009
Amnesia, Riga Art Space, Riga [touring to Ventspils and Talsi]
2006
Episodes, Riga Gallery, Riga
Episodes Vol. I, Matthew Bown Gallery, London
2005
Naked, Matthew Bown Gallery, London
2004
Exhibition Hall Arsenals of the State Museum of Art, Riga
Fotogalerie Wien, Vienna
2003
Overgaden, Copenhagen
Myself, Friends, Lovers and Others, Giedre Bartelt Gallery, Berlin
2002
Out and Home, Museum of Photography, Siauliai, Lithuania
1996
Young People Portraits of Liepaja, club Utt, Liepaja, Latvia
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
In the Name of Desire, Latvian National Museum of Art, Riga
We Don’t Do This. Intimacy, Norms and Fantasies in Baltic Art, Mo Museum, Vilnius
2020
Art Vilnius project space, Vilnius
2019
W Ramach Sopotu, Sopot Centre, Sopot
Pärnu Photo Festival, Pärnu City Gallery, Pärnu
2018
Looking In, Looking Out, Mark Rothko Art Centre, Daugavpils
2015
Latvian Landscape, Siauliai Art gallery, Siauliai
Evidence, Format Festival, Quad, Derby
Latvian Landscape, Mark Rothko art centre, Daugavpils
2014
Sense of Place, Y Gallery, Minsk
Sense of Place, Prospektos Gallery, Vilnius
On the Wave, Riga Art Space, Riga
2013
Sense of Place, AusstellungsHalle 1A, Frankfurt
East and Europe - Eastern European Contemporary Art, City Exhibition Art hall, Hong Kong
...for an occurrence to become an adventure... Riga Art Space, Riga
I See Europe!, Kunstbezirk gallery, Stuttgart
Revisiting Footnotes, LCCA Office gallery, Riga
The Red Room, Daile theatre, Riga
2012
Urban Renewal, City council exhibition hall, Mersin
Survival Kit 4, Tabakas fabrika, Riga
The Naughty Ones, Arsenals, Riga
GRID festival of photography, Amsterdam
Only You, Only Me, 8th Biennial of Photography, MAMAC, Liege
The Memory of Images, Tukums Museum, Tukums
2011
ReSearching Baltics, Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn
Lost In Transition, CAME, Tallinn
2010
Survival Kit 2, Berga bazars, Riga
2009
Gender Check, MUMOK, Vienna [touring to Warsaw]
Private, Arsenals, Riga
2008
From M to ZZZ, Langhans Gallery, Prague
Love II - Being, Fotogalerie Wien, Vienna
Private, Winzavod contemporary art centre, Moscow
Baltic Pop, Giedre Bartelt Gallery, Berlin
2007
Festival of Contemporary Arts, Cesis
2006
I am an artist, I love myself, Giedre Bartelt Gallery, Berlin
Nidon, Meno Parkas Gallery, Kaunas
2005
(Un)dressed, Giedre Bartelt Gallery, Berlin
Asking For It, Atlantis Bridge Gallery, London
Das Land und Das Ich, Ausstellungshalle 1A, Frankfurt aM
2004
So weiss wie Schnee, so rot wie Blut, Giedre Bartelt Gallery, Berlin
What is important?, K.Valdemara 3, Riga
2003
MiteinAnders, Schonbrunnerstrasse 223, Vienna
Adaptation, Rotermann Salt Storage Exhibition Hall, Tallinn
2002
Sex - social exhibitionism, Railway Museum, Riga
Everything Everyday, Artist's Project Studio, Vilnius
2001
Too Close/Too Distant, Stock Exchange Grand Hall, Riga
2000
Moving Images, The Radiant Light Gallery, Portland Maine, USA
Contemporary Latvian Art Photography, Latvian Museum of Photography, Riga
1999
Self-portrait of Generation, Gallery Russkoje Pole, Moscow
Can You Hear Me? [2nd Ars Baltica Triennal of Photographic Art], Stadtgalerie am Kulturviertel / Sophienhoff, Kiel [touring to Rostock, Vilnius, Dresden, Bergen, Espoo]
1997
Fotokunst aus Lettland, Gallery Station3, Vienna
TJN stu dios exhibition, Kiek In De Kok, Tallinn
1996
Moment, club Slepenais eksperiments, Riga
Kill your darlings /Moving Art, Edison theatre, Copenhagen
1994
TJN studios exhibition, Latvian Museum of Photography, Riga
VIDEO FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
2008
The Pesaro Film Festival, Rome
Udensgabali, Riga
Purescreen 22, Manchester
2007
Newport International Film festival, Newport, Wales
Sefton Short Film Festival, Liverpool, England
Senef, Seoul, South Korea
At Home in Europe, touring to Sofia, Stockholm, Bergen, Riga and Newcastle
Wise Thoughts - LGBT short films night, Cineworld Wood Green, London
2006
Blinks video tour, Espace Apollonia, Strasbourg & Hellenic American Union, Athens
2005
15th Bochum International video festival, Bochum
2004
Screen Spirit, Staedtische Galerie im Buntentor, Bremen
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Arndt, Melanie "Arnis Balcus on Arnis Balcus", Plotki, Berlin, Nr 4, 2003
Auzina, Ieva "Arnis Balcus", Orbita, Riga, 2000
Auzina Ieva "Desire to be Adored", Ptjuch, Moscow, November, 1999
Baal, Iphgenia "Arnis Balcus", Dazed & Confused, London, April 2006
Bankovskis, Pauls "Everyone's eyes are red again", Myself, Friends, Lovers and Others artist's catalogue, Riga/Berlin, 2003
Cerny, Katherina "Arnis Balcus - Myself, Friends, Lovers and Others", Eikon, Vienna, Nr.43/44, 2003
Dietz, Camilla Haseriis "Negaiditas simpatijas - Arnis Balcus Danija", Diena, Riga, 18 august, 2003
Forquy, Romain, "Non-films: Arnis Balcus' photographic road trip", Fotokvartals, Riga, issue 1, February 2006
Hanselle, Ralf "Arnis Balcus", Zitty, Berlin, 14 may 2003
Huttner, Per "Report from Riga", Creative Camera, London, October/November, 1999
Jablonski, Simon "Arnis Balcus", Dazed & Confused, February, 2012
Kalnina, Ieva "Arnis Balcus", Can You Hear Me? catalogue, Oktagon Verlag, 1999
Kalnina, Ieva "Created to be Admired", Desire to be Adored artist's book, Riga, 1999
Karathanos, Dimitris "Arnis Balcus", Soul Magazine, Thessaloniki, May, 2006
Klavina, Anda "Arnis Balcus", Flash Art, Milan, October, 2004
Klavina, Anda "Arna Balcus personalizstade Berline", Diena, Riga, 19 may, 2003
Krumina, Zane "Episodes Vol. I", Imago, Bratislava, Winter 2007
Kyan, Dmitry "O druzjah i lubovnikah", Foto&Video, Moscow, June, 2002
Morgante, Dario "Storie sexy degli adolescenti globalizzati", Blue, Rome, Nr 164, 2005
O'Reilly, Sally "Arnis Balcus", Time Out, London, 4 May, 2005
Peschke, Marc "Das Gedachtnis der Bilder", Photographie, Essen, November, 2004
Sandbye, Mette "I virkeligheden", Weekendavisen, Copenhagen, 4 august, 2003
Sutton, Veronica "Arnis Balcus", Black and White Magazine, Novato (USA), August, 2000
Steimane, Inga "Seksualais cilveks tomer ir maigs", Forums, Riga, 15 august, 2003
Tifentale, Alise "Alone with/without yourself", Desire to be Adored artist's book, Riga, 1999
Tifentale, Alise "Arna Balcus fotografiju izstades Lietuva", NRA, Riga, 8 apr il, 2002
Tifentale, Alise "Dzive bez vizazista un friziera", Studija, Riga, June/July, 2003
Therond, Eve "Exposition privee sur rendez-vous", PHOTO (French), Paris, December, 2003
Upleja, Sanita "Balcus fotografijas majas Bruklina", Diena, 13 november, 2003
Vejs, Vilnis "Atcereties vai aizmirst", Diena, Riga, 6 June, 2009
Vejs, Vilnis "Having said A says B", Studija, Riga, Februray/March, 2002
RESIDENCES
2003
Gothenburg, Sweden (by NIFCA)
2002
Vienna, Austria (by KulturKontakt Austria)
2000
Kunstlerhaus Schloss Wiepersdorf, Germany
