Looking back: international symposium "Contemporary Art and Folklore: Unlocking the Underworld"

On 7–8 May 2026, an international symposium of folklore and art was held at the Estonian Academy of Arts in Tallinn. The event was organised by the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia (in particular by Maija Rudovska) in collaboration with the Estonian Academy of Arts as part of the Latvian Council of Science research project UNART – "Contemporary Art and Folklore: Unlocking the Underworld. The symposium explored how references to the mythological underworld and chthonic imagery have shaped contemporary artistic practices and contributed to cultural and social critique over the past three decades.

The two-day programme brought together researchers, artists, curators, and practitioners from Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, China, and other countries, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue between contemporary art, folklore studies, performance, curatorial practice, and decolonial theory. Presentations by Toms Ķencis, Jana Kukaine, Ilga Leimanis, Ieva Jakusa, Ruibo Zhang and Evarts Melnalksnis addressed a wide range of topics, including mythology in Latvian contemporary art, feminist and ecological readings of folklore, indigenous knowledge systems, archival practices, performance, and contemporary curatorial methodologies. The programme also included workshops led by Markas Klisius and Ilga Leimanis, encouraging collaborative reflection on folklore, symbolism, care, and alternative forms of knowledge production. 

Additionally, the program concluded with two film screenings by Krista Burāne and Pisleg Unnyok, expanding the discussion through moving-image practices that examined themes of environmental change, indigenous practices, decoloniality, and cultural heritage. These screenings highlighted how artistic practice can serve as a medium for reinterpreting folklore and addressing urgent contemporary social and ecological concerns.

The symposium successfully created an international platform for knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration, strengthening networks between researchers and practitioners working at the intersection of contemporary art, folklore, and critical theory. It contributed to disseminating the UNART research project while fostering new discussions on how folklore and mythological imaginaries continue to inform contemporary artistic practices and critical engagement with today's social, political, and environmental challenges.

Reported by Maija Rudovska

Supported by Latvian Council of Science, FLPP project “Contemporary Art and Folklore: Unlocking the Underworld (UNART)” (lzp-2024/1-0479).