From September 23 to November 19, the Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art will host the captivating exhibition “We Walked the Earth,” originally the Danish pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Crafted by artist Uffe Isolotto and curated by Jakob Lillemose, this hyper-realistic fantasy narrative blurs the boundaries of visual art, cinema, sitcom, design, and literature. It unfolds the tale of humanity’s future within an opulent visual setting adorned with exotic flora and elements, drawing inspiration from Rīga’s Art Deco architectural heritage.
At its core, the narrative revolves around a centaur family navigating a world marked by dramatic and peculiar natural phenomena that have fundamentally altered the conditions for existence. This narrative simultaneously looks ahead to the future while incorporating echoes from the past. It serves as a poignant reflection on the contemporary human condition, where individuals grapple with the intersection of biology and technology, ecological crises, and the complex emotions of love, hopelessness, and optimism for the planet, as explained by curator Jakob Lillemose.
Elīna Vikmane, the exhibition’s producer and head of the Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation, emphasized the importance of this exhibition within the context of Latvian contemporary art. Despite the absence of a national Museum of Contemporary Art, Latvia is actively fostering the growth of its artistic community, particularly within the Baltic Sea Region. The year has witnessed support for emerging artists, including a video art survey during the White Night event. The exhibition in the new “New Hanza Biroji” exhibition hall represents a significant step towards realizing the aspirations of the future museum.
Vikmane highlighted the collaborative nature of this endeavor, not only in terms of interdisciplinary art but also in engaging various individuals in the exhibition’s production. Partnerships have led to the development of an education and discussion program, offering practical experience to students from the Latvian Academies of Culture and Art. Construction professionals involved in setting up the exhibition space have also found their perceptions of art transformed, now expressing a newfound interest in artistic processes and a desire to explore the exhibition with their families and friends.
