Jānis Avotiņš Latvian, b. 1981
Over the course of many years, the Latvian artist Jānis Avotiņš has gained inspiration and motifs for his work in the visual legacy of the recent past, including photographs found in state and private archives, retouched Soviet-era press illustrations and city guidebooks. Avotiņš delves into this cultural and historical legacy not only for building blocks for his creative output but acts as a careful archeologist, attempting to free his paintings and drawings from unnecessary semantic layers, often erasing indications that would place his figures in a specific time frame. The artist moves images of the past to a different universe, a dimension of time characteristic only of a work of art, the ’now’ of art. His monochromatic figures become solemn memory images surfacing to our conscious from a distant or more recent past. Avotiņš’s work is characterized by a special intimacy, and viewers are invited to complement it with themes from their own personal experience. At the same time, they are open to the widest possible perceptions and interpretations, so that each viewer can fill in the blanks and create a common sense of memory.
Expressed in images of shared memory, the art of Jānis Avotiņš is like a festive celebration in that it offers something to unite us. Celebration is the most complete form of communal experience, through which people regain their shared existence. The aesthetic quality of Avotiņš’s work thus also becomes especially important, since the aesthetic experience when shared fosters ’sociability’, raises an individual’s desire to communicate with others, and helps form social bonds and unite people in a cohesive society. It is not necessary for thousands to join hands in order to experience the feeling of community. The shared experience of art can also serve this purpose.
Born 1981 in Latvia
Lives and works in Riga, Latvia
EDUCATION
2004
Paris Cité International des Arts
2002
Erasmus Exchange Program at the Manchester University, Fine Arts, United Kingdom
2001- 2002
Latvian Academy of Arts, (BA) Painting and Visual Communication
1999- 2003
Latvian Academy of Arts, (MA) Painting
1995- 1999
Janis Rozentals School of Fine Art, Latvia, (BA)
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019
Find a Point From Which To See And Yet Avoid The Glow, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich, Germany
2018
Šventė, Gallery VARTAI, Vilnius, Lithuania
Jānis Avotiņš, Vera Munro Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
2016
Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich, Germany
2015
Jānis Avotiņš, IBID Projects, London Galerie Vera Munro, Hamburg, Germany
2013
Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich, Germany
Johnen Galerie, Berlin, Germany
2012
New Works, Galerie Vera Munro, HamburgJānis Avotiņš, IBID Projects, London, United Kingdom
2011
Jānis Avotiņš, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich, Germany
2010
Implicated, Galerie Akinci, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Jānis Avotiņš Trauma. New Works and Retrospection, Riga Art Space, Riga, Latvia
2009
Johnen Galerie, Berlin, Germany
You, my word, as if it was me before a dark glade, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich, Germany
2008
Galerie Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne, Germany
Stadtgalerie, Schwaz
Jānis Avotiņš, Malerei, Ludwig Forum, Aachen
2007
Super Normal, IBID Projects, London
Suzie Q project space (Rüdiger Schöttle / Bob van Orsouw | Brigid Uccia), Zürich, Switzerland
2006
I Never Go On Holidays, Me di um, Gustavia, St. Barthelemy
Johnen Galerie, Berlin, Germany
2005
Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich, Germany
Possession, IBID Projects, Vilnius, Lithuania
IBID Projects, London, United Kingdom
Galerie Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne, Germany
2004
Belonging, Riga, Latvia (Curated by IBID Projects, Vilnius)
Rheinschau, Art Cologne Projects, Cologne, Germany
2003
Conversance, Riga, Latvia
2002
Competence, Riga, Latvia
SElected Group Exhibitions
2018
Ibid Gallery, Inventory - A rotating display of works by multiple artists in several locations, L.A.
2016
Prix Jean-Francois Prat, Palais de Tokyo, ParisAfter photography, Galerie Alain Gutharc, Paris, France
2015
Painting Show – Part One, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich, Germany
2014
Il Piedistallo vuoto/The Empty pedestal, Artefiera, Bologna, Italy
2013
...for an occurence to become an adventure..., Riga Art Space, Riga, Latvia
2012
Gaiety Is The Most Outstanding Feature Of The Soviet Union, Saatchi Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Is It That He Does Not Seek The Truth, But Does Want To Influence?, Riga Art Space, Riga, Latvia
2010
After the Fall, Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, New York, USA
Painting Triennial, CAC, Vilnius, Lithuania
2009
IBID PROJECTS at Remap2, Athens, Greece
Your Gold Teeth II, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, USA
2008
Salon, The Cartin Collection at Ars Libri, Boston, USA
Das zweite Gesicht, Sammlung Südhausbau, Munich, Germany
Back to Black. Die Farbe schwarz in der aktuellen Malerei, Kestner, Hanover, Germany
2007
Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich (mit | with Adrian Ghenie und | and Andrew Palmer)
Judith, Perry Rubenstein Gallery, New York, USA
Prague Biennale 3, Prague, Czech Republic
Size Matters: XXL – rechent large-scale paintings, HVCC Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Peekskill, New York, USA
2006
Infinite Painting. Contemporary Painting and Global Realism, Villa Manin, Centro d’Arte Contemporanea, Passariano, Codroipo (Udine)
2005
Prague Biennale 2, Prague, Czech Republic
Dark Dreams, Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne, Germany
2004
Dark Dreams, Johnen Galerie, Berlin, Germany
Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich, Germany
Life Of a Commercial Gallery - IBID Projects, Copper gallery, Dundee
Esoterica, IBID Projects, London, United Kingdom
Still-Life, State Art Museum, Riga, Latvia
2003
HYPERSONICA, electronic music festival, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Latvian Contemporary art Artists, Contemporary Art Space, Riga, Latvia
Wild Photographers, Riga, Latvia
Selfportraits, Galerie Pedants, Riga, Latvia
Project att_lums.lv (Riga - NY)
2002
Autumn 2002, Riga Contemporary Art Space, Riga, Latvia
2001
Latvian Contemporary Art Exhibition, Riga, Latvia
2000
Interferences 2000, International multimedia festival, Paris, France
AWARDS
2016 Prix Jean-François Prat
2011 Latvian Academy Award
COLLECTIONS
Rubell Family Collection;
Cranford Collection;
Hort Family Collection;
François Pinault Collection;
Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo
The Federal Republic of Germany Contemporary Art Collection
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Spectrum
Group exhibition 14 Jul - 26 Aug 2020Curator Linas Bliškevičius Artists and designers: Gabrielė Adomaitytė, Jānis Avotiņš, Ray Bartkus, Kazimieras Brazdžiūnas, Jokūbas Čižikas, Adomas Danusevičius, Marija Puipaitė & Vytautas Gečas, Vytenis Jankūnas, Linas Jusionis, Žilvinas Kempinas, Mindaugas...Read more -
Jānis Avotiņš
ŠVENTĖ 13 Feb - 23 Mar 2018Vartai gallery is proud to present a solo show by the Latvian artist Jānis Avotiņš to coincide with the celebration of the centenary of the declaration of independence by the...Read more -
Group show Žilvitis (Willow)
25th Vartai gallery anniversary marking exhibition 19 Feb - 9 Apr 2016From its very establishment in 1991, Galerija Vartai has been a prominent cultural centre, attracting a wide and diverse following both within and outside Lithuania. In addition to exhibitions of...Read more
