UNART workshop on contemporary artworks and their materialities

UNART group participated in ILFA UL anniversary event "Dzīvot zaļi!", taking place at the Botanical garden of University of Latvia on 27th of June, with an activity that asked the participants to match contemporary artworks with their materialities.

The artworks presented included works by Kristians Brekte, Katrīna Neiburga, Rasa Jansone, Anna Egle, Laimdota Malle and other Latvian contemporary artists. These works from the UNART database of dark mythology in contemporary art represent the versatile ways in which motifs from folklore, myths and ancestors' knowledge enter contemporary art. The materials included mycelium, chicken bones, dry grass, wood and other materials, often also linked to the underworld or the natural world. 

The visitors enjoyed the relaxed and fun activity that allowed them to "solve" the puzzles. It became a point of conversation for the groups of people who shared their ideas about the artworks and the materials included, as well as their ideas about the artworks' meaning and cultural contexts, both traditional and contemporary.

The activity also included a QR code that led to the online gallery of collected works, to inspire further exploration.

^{Photo: Toms Grīnbergs, University of Latvia.}