Survival Kit 15 – Measures

Survival Kit 15 – Measures
Curated by Jussi Koitela

The contemporary art festival Survival Kit, comprised of a curated exhibition and an event programme, was initiated in 2009 as a response to the economic crisis affecting Latvia at the time. Each year, the festival’s appointed curator (or curators) carefully selects the themes explored, inviting artists from around the world to offer alternative scenarios of survival. The festival’s mission to critically investigate and reflect on the evolution of contemporary society has made it a key platform for the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art (LCCA) to showcase its commitment to research, creation, and development of contemporary art processes in Latvia and internationally since 2000. Survival Kit’s choice of venue is an integral part of the festival’s identity, as it inhabits empty buildings in Riga, exploring their potential and possible development strategies that could be used to revitalize them. Despite the often challenging nature of these spaces, the festival emphasizes the importance of accessibility, assisting people with disabilities.

Amatu Street 4
Built in 1903 by the architect Wilhelm Ludvig Bockslaff, the building is representative of the Eclectic Gothic style. The building served different fonctions along history. Adjacent to the building of the Great Guild, Amatu street 4 initially served as it’s shop, offices and apartment building until the mid-1930s, when it became the property of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. During Soviet occupation, the building hosted the counter-intelligence department, the SMERŠ, as well as the Wehrmacht counter-intelligence department during the german occupation. Nowadays, the building is one of of Riga municipality department buildings, and hosting the Riga City Construction Board as well as the Support Centre for Ukrainian Residents until September 2022.

SMILGA
SMILGA is an independent cultural space located on the left bank of the Daugava River and dedicated to culture, education and well-being. Designed by the architect Modris Ģelzis, the modernist venue initially hosted the Museum of Composers.