Arnis Balcus
Encyclopedia
Arnis Balcus is a Latvian photography and video artist. Born in Riga
, Latvia
, Balcus lived and worked in his home town before moving to London
, United Kingdom
in 2004. He took an MA course on photography at University of Westminster
from 2004 to 2005. He is exhibiting his work since 1994, but emerged internationally in 2003 with the photographic series Myself, Friends, Lovers and Others. Using snapshot aesthetic
the series were showing the everyday of contemporary Latvian youth. The series had numerous solo shows, for instance, at Giedre Bartelt gallery, Berlin (2003), Overgaden, Copenhagen (2003), Fotogalerie Wien, Vienna (2004), State Museum of Art
, Riga (2004) and Matthew Bown Gallery, London (2005).
In the photographic project Episodes the artist was staging various cinematic scenes on the subjects of sex
and violence
, referencing films by Russ Meyer
, Mike Powell
and John Waters
. Episodes were published as a series of three books - Vol. I (2006), Vol. II (2007) and Behind the Scenes (2007), as well as exhibited as photographs and video in galleries and video festivals in London, Riga, Prague and other places.
In May 2009 Arnis Balcus showed his new series Amnesia at Riga Art Space. In the photographs he was staging various social rituals that have disappeared from the everyday life in Latvia
due to political and economical changes in the past thirty years. The exhibition traveled to Ventspils
, Latvia.
In September 2009 the artist participated in the exhibition Private at the Latvian National Museum of Art
in Riga with the series Contemporary Latvians. The exhibition was previously shown at Winzavod in Moscow
(2008).
He addresses issues of identity and gender
also in his video works. His video Xionel (2004) features a confession by a beautiful Asian transsexual, while Balcus' Latvia 1989-91 is a photo story created of artist's family snapshots from the time Latvia regained its independence from USSR.
Balcus' work has also been published in various art and lifestyle magazines, such as Black and White Magazine, Dazed & Confused (magazine)
, Flash Art Magazine
, Soul Mag, Achtung Mode and many more.
From January 2011 he is the chief editor of the main Latvian photography magazine - FK Magazine.
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, Balcus lived and worked in his home town before moving to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 2004. He took an MA course on photography at University of Westminster
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
from 2004 to 2005. He is exhibiting his work since 1994, but emerged internationally in 2003 with the photographic series Myself, Friends, Lovers and Others. Using snapshot aesthetic
Snapshot aesthetic
The term snapshot aesthetic refers to a trend within fine art photography in the USA from around 1963 . The style typically features apparently banal everyday subject matter and off-centered framing. Subject matter is often presented without apparent link from image-to-image and relying instead on...
the series were showing the everyday of contemporary Latvian youth. The series had numerous solo shows, for instance, at Giedre Bartelt gallery, Berlin (2003), Overgaden, Copenhagen (2003), Fotogalerie Wien, Vienna (2004), State Museum of Art
The Latvian National Museum of Art
The Latvian National Museum of Art is the richest collection of national art in Latvia. It houses more than 52,000 works of art reflecting the development of professional art in the Baltic area and in Latvia from the middle of the 18th century up until the present time...
, Riga (2004) and Matthew Bown Gallery, London (2005).
In the photographic project Episodes the artist was staging various cinematic scenes on the subjects of sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
and violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
, referencing films by Russ Meyer
Russ Meyer
Russell Albion "Russ" Meyer was a U.S. motion picture director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor, actor and photographer....
, Mike Powell
Michael Powell (director)
Michael Latham Powell was a renowned English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger...
and John Waters
John Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
. Episodes were published as a series of three books - Vol. I (2006), Vol. II (2007) and Behind the Scenes (2007), as well as exhibited as photographs and video in galleries and video festivals in London, Riga, Prague and other places.
In May 2009 Arnis Balcus showed his new series Amnesia at Riga Art Space. In the photographs he was staging various social rituals that have disappeared from the everyday life in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
due to political and economical changes in the past thirty years. The exhibition traveled to Ventspils
Ventspils
Ventspils is a city in northwestern Latvia in the Courland historical region of Latvia, the sixth largest city in the country. As of 2006, Ventspils had a population of 43,806. Ventspils is situated on the Venta River and the Baltic Sea, and has an ice-free port...
, Latvia.
In September 2009 the artist participated in the exhibition Private at the Latvian National Museum of Art
The Latvian National Museum of Art
The Latvian National Museum of Art is the richest collection of national art in Latvia. It houses more than 52,000 works of art reflecting the development of professional art in the Baltic area and in Latvia from the middle of the 18th century up until the present time...
in Riga with the series Contemporary Latvians. The exhibition was previously shown at Winzavod in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
(2008).
He addresses issues of identity and gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
also in his video works. His video Xionel (2004) features a confession by a beautiful Asian transsexual, while Balcus' Latvia 1989-91 is a photo story created of artist's family snapshots from the time Latvia regained its independence from USSR.
Balcus' work has also been published in various art and lifestyle magazines, such as Black and White Magazine, Dazed & Confused (magazine)
Dazed & Confused (magazine)
Dazed & Confused is a British style magazine, that was set up in 1992 and published monthly. Its founding editors were Jefferson Hack and Rankin...
, Flash Art Magazine
Flash Art Magazine
Flash Art is a bimonthly magazine focusing on contemporary art. It was founded in Rome in 1967 by Italian publisher and art critic Giancarlo Politi. The magazine has been based in Milan, Italy since 1971...
, Soul Mag, Achtung Mode and many more.
From January 2011 he is the chief editor of the main Latvian photography magazine - FK Magazine.