Baiba Osīte. Exodus
Baiba Osīte's wide scope solo exhibition "Exodus" is part of the 7th Riga International Textile and Fiber Art Triennale QUO VADIS?, 16.06. - 17.09.2023, satellite event, as well as one of the exhibitions in the 4th international sea-themed art biennial "Marina 2023" ON WATER GOD’S SHOULDERS, 07.07. - 03.09.2023.
The distinguishing mark of Baiba Osīte’s art is the "paintings" made of pieces of wood washed out of the sea - both landscape and abstract in conjunction, as well as archaic and modern ecological. Water and sand grains polished the shape of the wood, smoothing the edges. The sun and wind have dried the natural blood of the drifts and they became light, fragile and pale. Along with the changes in the nature of the drifts, the phenomenon of sound arises when the little sticks come into contact with each other. The magic of a musical instrument. The joy of gentle conversation.
The process of creating the works is meditative, long and heavy - the artist herself is looking for and collecting the sticks, coloring them and sewing them to the canvas. The form of Baiba Osīte's works is structured by repetition. They are elements that line up or crowd one another like a purposeful stream of thoughts: each one is shaped, colored or polished a little differently.
The story of the "Exodus" is created in synthesis where the historical events and the philosophically abstract thoughts are bound together. Just like our life stories are built up from experienced, felt and imagined realities. “Exodus [leaving] is a biblical theme that tells the story of the people of Israel coming out of slavery in Egypt, passing through the sea, escaping their persecutors and gaining their land and freedom. I have always been interested in this topic from the perspective of an individual's life, but currently it is particularly relevant to the fate of one nation and humanity globally," says the artist.
Baiba Osīte has been looking for the connection between textiles and other materials since graduating from the Art Academy of Latvia in 1985. This forms her special reflection on the relationship between art as an object and art as an experience. The personal exhibition "Exodus" summarizes the artist's insights about our era, believing that it is characterized by spiritual and social transformation. Stories are sought in natural materials and historical events, which turn into abstractions in works of art. These stories seem charged with human will, hope, desire for form and reliance on the Supreme. As in prayer.
The "Exodus" features new works by Osīte in felting and silk printing techniques.They are painterly, too, but differ from the enigmatic drifts with a lyrical natural landscape or more playful expressions of decorative art. A site-specific object is on view on the first floor, while on the second floor the miniatures on matchboxes are exhibited for the first time in Latvia, they combine readymade and embroidery. Curator of the exhibition - Inga Šteimane.
Baiba Osīte (1958) has held more than ten personal exhibitions in Latvia since 1992. International juries include her works in competitive exhibitions, such as International Triennial of Mini-Textiles, Musée Jean Lurçat, Angers, France (2021, 2022), Biennal “Textile Art of Today”, Bratislava, Slovakia (2021), International Biennial of Miniature Arts “BIAMT 2020” in Timișoara, Romania, 2020, CONTEXTILE – Contemporary Textile Art Biennial in Guimarães, Portugal (2018, ACQUISITION PRIZE, 2020), Biennial Contemporary Textile Art “WTA” Madrid, Spain (2019), Baltic Mini Textile at Gdynia (2013, 2019, PRIZE), “From Lausanne to Beijing” International Fiber Art Biennale in Beijing (2014, 2018) and others. She participated in the exhibition "Stem. Fabric as a concept and material in Latvian identity" in Riga.
Graduated from the textile art department of the Riga Applied Arts High School (1978), the textile art department of the Art Academy of Latvia (1985), where she obtained a master's degree (2003).
Baiba Osīte's personal exhibition "Exodus" takes place in the exhibition program of the Art Station "Dubulti" from June 15 to September 17 with the financial support of the Jūrmala City Council and the State Culture Capital Foundation. Art Station “Dubulti” is the only contemporary art institution in Europe located in a functioning railway station. The author of the concept and the director of the program - art critic Inga Šteimane.
Art Station "Dubulti" is located in Jūrmala, in the Dubulti railway station building, it is open every day from 9 to 17.30 Free entrance.
Opening, creative workshops, meetings:
16. 06. at 17.30 - opening of the exhibition.
18. 06. at 15.00 - opportunity to walk through the exhibition "Exodus" together with artist Baiba Osīte and curator Inga Šteimane. A conversation about the relationship between art as an object and art as an experience.
15. 07. at 12.00 - Creative workshop "Ekoprints" together with artist Baiba Osītie. Anyone can silk print. All materials on site. No age or skill restrictions. Print unwinding at 16.00. You can bring your own plants for making patterns.
12. 08. at 15.00 - opportunity to walk through the exhibition "Exodus" together with artist Baiba Osīte and curator Inga Šteimane. A conversation about the relationship between art as an object and art as an experience.
Text by INGA ŠTEIMANE