The Art Academy of Latvia’s Gallery “Pilot” will be unveiling the group exhibition “Are We There Yet?” on 29 September at 18:00. The works featured at this exhibition will also be presented at the international contemporary art fair “ArtVilnius’20’” which will take place in Lithuania from 2 – 4 October 2020.

The exhibition will showcase works by students, teachers and alumni from the AAL, whose talents have gained local and international recognition. The aim is to break down the traditional hierarchical relationships between teachers, students and artists: Jānis Šneiders, Līga Spunde, Kristians Brekte, Amanda Ziemele, Hanele Zane Putniņa, Annemarija Gulbe, Veronika Frolova, Jānis Dzirnieks, Estere Betija Grāvere, Brenda Jansone, Pēteris Ķimsis un Miķelis Mūrnieks.

The works chosen for this exhibition best reflect current local and global art trends. The title of the exhibition is a rhetorical play on contemporary processes and how the purpose of art is transforming – what role does culture play in a pandemic world and how has it changed from beforehand? How do the art market, critics’ reviews and social media recognition figure in all of this? How well do these factors fit the goals artists set for themselves?

Sabīne Vernere, director of “Pilot”.

The title of the exhibition draws attention to the complex nature of the art job market – the difficulties artists face to establish connections with prominent galleries, collectors, art fairs and museums. The AAL’s Gallery “Pilot” was created to provide support for new artists in their endeavours. Participation in the art fair “ArtVilnius’20” might seem like a small step; however, it helps Latvian visual art gain more recognition among experts, as well as provide opportunities for new artists to network and foster collaboration with international institutions and galleries.

This will be the second exhibition at “Pilot”, which the AAL founded in collaboration with the “EU4ART” Alliance, Erasmus+ and the Riga Municipality.

The exhibition will be open to the public from 29 September until 1 November at Riharda Vāgnera Street 3 in Old Riga. Entrance is free of charge; the gallery is open from 12:00 to 18:00 on Tuesdays through Saturday.