Flower Power
Auce Biele. Flower Power
Celebrating colours, intuition and cultural dialogues, Art Station Dubulti offers the solo exhibition “Flower Power” by Latvian designer Auce Biele. The central emphasis in this exhibition is the intuition, which combines paintings and stories, and in understanding of which the viewer can participate. The artist has been living in Morocco for seven years (2013-2020) and returning in Latvia for the first time since. The artist will meet with spectators and lead workshops.
“Flower Power” presents paintings and 78 Flower Power Cards (1st and 2nd floor). There are also seventy-eight stories showing amazing psychological sensitivity, which the audience is invited to read and correlate with their feelings (2nd floor, installation “Flower Power cards for your intuition”). Auce Biele's stories and design interpret images widely used in pop culture, fantasy literature, modern children's entertainment industry - princesses, queens, talking beasts, insects and flowers, which were once associated with folklore, but modern consumerism has commercialized them with such intensity that historical source has been almost forgotten. On the other hand, the powerful, intuitive story, which is the basis of every Flower Power Card and every painting, can be viewed as an example of depth psychology in art practice. Depth psychology involves uncovering and analyzing the processes, structures and mechanisms that exist behind the facade of consciousness. The visual banality of Auce Biele's painting is impregnated with the author's well-tempered intuition and that is why the result is so exciting, so provocative. Simultaneously her work is stemmed from modern and archaic mythological thinking (this impression is accentuated by the figure of the Queen of Flower Cards).
Auce Biele tells about her exhibition: “The whole idea - colours, images, flower tarot-cards and deep fantasy - has one goal: to suggest that a person is reaching her intuition, her subconscious, through storytelling and fabulous images. Because intuition is the only one who knows the answers. I once had a difficulty accepting my appearance and essence. I attended a hypnotherapy session and there I saw my body - the darkness and different flowers flying in it. From then on, it was easy for me to accept myself because I realized that there is a great variety of plants in this world. And those who want uniformity have no chance. I absolutely call myself "a cactus" with gentle flowers, I am “sharp”, “wild” and “survivor”.” Auce Biele's desire to discuss the subconscious of a modern person has developed in a colour avalanche and in the splendor of an eternal summer of Morocco in her latest works. Before leaving Latvia, Auce Biele loudly presented herself with large-format denim etchings in the solo show "Mumbo Jumbo" (2009), which was like a kaleidoscope of myths about urban women in the language of bluish pop-art. The new works are based on pure pigments and "melody of colours.”
Auce Biele paints on self-primed cotton fabric with Moroccan pigments, mixing them with a white water emulsion. Seventy-eight flower cards are made of printed textiles and during the meeting with the artist you will also see patterns inspired by Berber culture on the surface of the cards. One video - A Tale of Princess the Rope Dancer in the Desert. Some drawings are also on display. The artist will talk about the exhibition on May 2 at 14.00 (applications in FB). There will be four workshops with Flower Power Cards and painting on May 29 and 30, June 5 and 6 at 14.00.
Auce Biele was born in 1981 in Riga, studied textile design at the Riga Design High School and have a bachelor's degree in the Department of Visual Communication at the Latvian Academy of Arts (2007). Studied at the Bremen University of the Arts. Worked for a design company BIBI in Zurich with children's product design. Auce Biele was included in the New Museum book “Younger Than Jesus: Artist Directory” (2009). Since 2013 she has been living and working in Morocco, running the “Shine Smile” art studio. Solo exhibitions: “Love Muscle” (2006), “Norma Geen” (2007), "LO&VE" (2007) in Riga, and "Mumbo Jumbo" in Riga (2009) and Kunstwarenhaus Gallery Zurich (2011). Participated in the exhibition “CandyBomber” Young Latvian Painters, Latvian National Museum of Art (2008).
Dubulti Art Station is the only professional exhibition hall in Europe, located in a functioning station. The project implements the cross-functionality of the public space. Art station Dubulti creates solo exhibitions and conceptual projects of the best Latvian artists, paying attention to the exhibition as a dialogue between a work of art and the spectator. The program is implemented with the support of Jurmala City Council. The founder and head of the Dubulti art station is art critic Inga Šteimane.
The exhibition has been created with the support of Jurmala City Council. Thanks to Alvis Janelis, Anita Skalberga, Rashid Azennir, Česlija Čable, Aigars Grauba.
Auce Biele's solo exhibition "Flower Power" is open from April 30 to June 6 every day from 9.00 to 18.30. Admission is free.
Public program (with application: https://www.facebook.com/ artstationdubulti or dubulti.art.station@gmail.com.
02.05. at 14.00 - artist talk in the exhibition;
29.05. at 14.00 - workshop led by the artist with Flower Power Cards and painting;
30.05. at 14.00 - workshop led by the artist with Flower Power Cards and painting;
05.06. at 14.00 - workshop led by the artist with Flower Power Cards and painting;
06.06. at 14.00 - workshop led by the artist with Flower Power Cards and painting.
Inga Šteimane, curator