"Artificial Light" is the second solo exhibition of Latvian artist Andris Eglitis in pop/off/art gallery space. Andris Eglitis, one of the leading artists of the Baltic art scene, in addition to painting, is known for his multi-component architectural installations and objects. In his artistic practice Eglitis is developing an interdisciplinary approach. In his paintings he depicts pre-constructed installations in which objects are considered regardless of their functions and combined with natural forms. As a result, the images in Eglītis' works always balance on the brink of abstraction and figuration, which requires a long and careful observation by the viewer. 

The exhibition will feature works made especially for the project fr om the series "Reflections (The Illuminated and the Enlightened)", in which the artist develops the idea of representing light and shadow in the visual arts as the main formative forces. Here one can recall an ancient Greek legend, recorded in the treatise of the Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder, about the emergence of painting and sculpture, wh ere a shadow on the wall from a human figure was circled by a line and depicted in bas-relief. Since then, the transition from three-dimensional to two-dimensional space has become one of the main issues for thinkers and artists.

Eglitis shifts the focus of view from the object itself to the light aura formed by the object. However, he does not stop at the study of visual form, he is interested in the metaphysics of light in general: "I find it very fascinating that the word Reflection itself has this dual meaning - the reflection of light and the activity of the mind. Light creates illusions, changes the atmosphere and the way we see things. In the modern era of post-reflection, everything depends on light and the light in which things are shown," says the artist.

In language, the concept of light is used to describe various phenomena - physical, mental and spiritual. According to the artist, people in such dusky countries of northern latitudes, which include Latvia and Russia, without active sunlight should constantly make efforts to feel joy. The idea of finding happiness through the inner workings of the spirit is at the heart of our culture. Eglītis's meditative painting, his poetic images, tune the viewer to achieve happiness or, at the very least, provide hope.

Andris Eglitis was born in 1981 in Riga. He studied at the Riga School of Art named after M.A. Rīga. Я. He studied at the Department of Painting of the Latvian Academy of Arts (1999-2005), Manchester Metropolitan University (2002), Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (2004), as well as at the Ghent Art Institute (HISK, 2012-2013). He taught painting at the National Academy of Arts of Latvia. Winner of the Purvītis Prize (2013), the main prize in contemporary art in Latvia. Author of the "Armpit" exhibition at the Latvian pavilion at the Venice Biennale (together with Katrina Neiburga, 2015). The project in Andris's studio was included in the parallel program of the Riga Biennale of Contemporary Art RIBOCA in 2018. The artist's first solo exhibition in Russia was held in 2016 at the pop/off/art gallery. In 2019, the pop/off/art gallery presented Andris Eglītis' personal stand at Art Brussels, a contemporary art fair. The works are in the collection of the KIASMA Museum (Helsinki, Finland), in the Latvian National Museum of Art (Riga), in the collection of the newly created Latvian Museum of Modern Art in Riga and in private collections in Latvia, Russia and European countries.

The exhibition is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in the Russian Federation.