On 30 November, for the second year running, the South End of Andrejsala attracted several hundred Rigans and city guests, in order to celebrate together the name day of Andrejses, Andrises, Andrews and, of course, that of the island of Andrejsala. The program of celebration was rich in interesting events. Various artistic activities were in full swing in almost all the buildings on the South End, and guests did not have time to get bored.
Most of the guests of this special day of Andrejsala come across there admitted that they came there because they had been invited by their friends or acquaintances to attend a specific event: an exhibition or performance, but as they saw that the whole of the South End is “in motion”, they went to assess other artists’ contribution to the implementation of the diverse program.
But let’s start from the beginning. Already in the forenoon, students of the Jānis Rozentāls Art Secondary School were working hard and thoroughly on the Andrejsala South End: inside the Naïve Art Museum and outside, too. They were creating paintings on the subject Andrejsala today and tomorrow. The first event in the celebration program of Andrejsala was the opening of the rose artworks in the Naïve Art Museum (it will be on display until 14 December in the Hull Shop). It should be added that the exhibition also included the competition – several hours later, the international jury awarded Marta Leitāne, the author of the best work.
Those guests who preferred getting acquainted with Andrejsala, were taken around the island by a special tour minibus. During the tour, the guide Linards Kulless of the artists hostel and residences Singalong, where the open day had already started, was telling guests about the highlights of Andrejsala as well as about the celebration program.
A major event of the festival was the unveiling of the Anchor, the symbol of Andrejsala. Following the speech of the chairman of the board of SIA Jaunrīgas attīstības uzņēmums, Mr. Valters Māziņš, the case made of the colours of Andrejsala was taken off the 5-ton anchor. „Andrejsala is a place with traditions, and it will now have its official symbol – the Anchor. It is to symbolize the location on the bank of the Daugava and in the former port’s area, and in a more philosophical sense – the anchorage (harbour) of ideas and projects. “I hope that this symbol will help the large “ship” of art and culture cast its anchor on Andrejsala, thus finding a stable home”, Valters Māziņš, chairman of the board of SIA „Jaunrīgas attīstības uzņēmums”, said during the unveiling ceremony. Not far away at the entrance to the Hull Shop the guests had a chance to entertain themselves by minting a symbolic coin of Andrejsala and by moulding a figure for luck.
While some of the guests were gathering at the anchor, the Hull Shop opened its doors and invited to the gallery Biezpiens, where the artists, along with a number of interested ones, were sewing and gluing shopping bags, threading and stringing beads, producing various pendants, making small plastic animals and other cute little things. A bar was open inside the Hull Shop, where girls offered visitors a welcome drink – a stoop of mulled wine.
When the guests had warmed up and entered into the spirit of the celebration, V. Māziņš, accompanied by his colleagues of the Jaunrīgas attīstības uzņēmums [New Riga Development Company], invited to the stage all the permanent representatives of the South End of Andrejsala – artists and leaders of creative unions, in order to nominate those for the common award Cultural project 2006. “The South End of Andrejsala is a kind of a centre of culture, where a number of cultural and art projects are being implemented at the same time. In the brief period, Andrejsala managed to gather artists of a number of nationalities, and with the cultural events promoted the environment diversity and society integration. More and more people choose Andrejsala to familiarise with the contemporary art and culture in their various manifestations. Today, we are presenting this Cultural project 2006 prize to those artists and creative unions of Andrejsala who have noticed the potential of this place and have been involved in the formation of the image of Andrejsala as a major place for cultural events”, V. Māziņš said during the Cultural project 2006 awarding ceremony. The content of the award was a very pleasant surprise to the cultural activists of the South End – a collective trip to the European Media Art Festival in Osnabrück, Germany in April, 2007. It goes without saying that this piece of news was welcomed by loud cheers and ovations.
Following the awarding of the Cultural project 2006 prize, the floor was given to Astrīda Rogule, head of the holding formation department of the Contemporary Art Museum, who informed the guests about the plans to build and locate the museum in the former building of the Thermal Power Plant on Andrejsala.
Despite the fact that the attention of the guests of Andrejsala had long been attracted to the amusing posters hung along the walls of the Hull Shop, a retrospective exhibition of a group of poster artists Suņa sirds [Dog's Heart] was opened as late as at half past five pm. The main idea and the activities of the group were clarified by the founder of the Dog’s Heart Artis Buks. The exhibition will be on display in the Hull Shop until 14 December.
One could call the next event in the celebration program a bolt out of the blue. The pleasant surprise by two Latvian ethnic minorities ensembles the Russian song ensemble Garmonika and the Belarusian folk song ensemble Nadzeja. A few guests come across during the celebration called the performances of these groups as the most entertaining and funniest moments of the celebration program. How could it be otherwise, if, say, Garmonika was able rather knowingly to unite in one song a typical Russian couplet with the Latvian folk song Kur tu teci? And a moment later, the audience was listening to an impressive folk song sung in majestic male bass Rīga dimd performed in the impeccable Latvian language (see the video here). Well, this is another kind of integration into the Latvian society! As it was expected, a most witty performance was presented by the ensemble Nadzeja, who sung songs in the most authentic Belarusian language.
At six o’clock, the Power Plant, which had become the home to the creative union Orbit saw the opening of the exhibition of photographs and images Right in the Middle by Roman Korovin. This exhibition will be on display for some time, too, – until 10 December. After a short delay, guests were welcomed by the Patricijas Brekte and her Paintings and Silk Screening Studio Pea-Hen in the Hull Shop. Despite the fact that the artist had pointed out before Andrejsala’s name day that her studio had still been in the middle of the formation process, the works on display accompanied by the appropriate music recordings created an impression of maturity and completeness.
After just an hour or so, two more events (probably most wanted by many guests and most advertised, too) started in the Hull Shop. These could be called the culmination of the day’s cultural program. On the first floor, there was opened the international movement theatre pilot festival organized by the Laboratory of Stage Arts as well as presented the DVD Inside, whereas on the second floor, the project On the Road organized a surprising meeting with a Latvian animator Signe Baumane, who lives in the US and is a member of the US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. During the meeting, S. Baumane told the audience about her ten years of life in the United States and demonstrated her animation films.
While the admirers of more silent events were watching what was going on in the Hull Shop, the Welding Shops or the café Dirty Deal was dominated by the Bohemian atmosphere thanks to the demonstration of the fashion installation Moda: Kaput accompanied by music. Visitors could enjoy the works by the artists and fashion designer Kristīne Vītola, Liene Kruševa and Maija Kruševa, Karlīna Vītoliņa, Gundega Lasmane, Anete Heida, Anastasija Golubeva and Kēta Gūtmane as well as other creative personalities.
At the end of the celebration, the Carpanter’s shop being the location of the club Nobody Writes to the Colonel, organized the video party with DJ Drazza and DJ Miks, who had selected the music hits of the 80s and 90s.
Judging by the opinions expressed by some guests of the Andrejsala name day celebration, in general, the festival was a success. “It was cool! We will be looking forward to 30 November next year, too”, said Inguna and Katrīna, guests of the party on the bank of the port of Andrejosta flooded with candlelight. A group of guys standing next to them shared their opinion with enthusiasm. This kind of determination on the part of guests challenges the oganisers of the event to do the next year’s celebration program even better and more breathtaking.
See you next time at the Andrejsala festival!
