PAiR is a cultural destination that provides locals and travellers alike with meaningful artistic content in an unconventional setting. By hosting a rich programme of events, PAiR seeks to help contemporary art find its way into the hearts of as many people as possible. We are a point of intersection between humans and nature, the local and the global, cutting-edge practices and age-old traditions, a place where new meanings emerge via creative experiments.
Regional
Latvia
Pavilosta, Kurzeme Region
Mainly rural
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
Yes
2021-06-01
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): VV Foundation Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Vita Last name of representative: Liberte Gender: Female Nationality: Latvia Function: Founder Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Kalku 15, 3B Town: Riga Postal code: LV-1010 Country: Latvia Direct Tel:+371 26 469 918 E-mail:vita.liberte@bdo.lv Website:https://pair.lv/
The Artists in Residency project is housed in a historical wooden building, built in 1901, and completely renovated and refurbished in 2021. The Residency is located in a remote area, 200km from the capital of Latvia, on the western coast of Latvia. The town of Pavilosta is a small port town in the Courland region of Latvia. The population in 2020 was 881. The wooden building was initially built as a school, then converted into an ambulance, and from 1990s it was abandoned and almost demolished. We came up with the idea to save this important structure for a local community and make it into a cultural destination, by addressing the local municipality that agreed to rent out the premises for 12 years. With great respect to the historical patina of the building and visual layers of time passed and space created, - materials and structure were preserved and restored where possible such as the wood cladding on the facade, exposed brick extension, windows and interior flooring.
The Residency now offers rooms and resources for artists, writers, researchers and other creative professionals in various fields for experimentation, research and professional development. It houses four individual rooms for residence, two studios for creative work, a library with several open workplaces, an art gallery, and a weaving studio, where the local weavers of Pāvilosta work. Each individual room of the residents is equipped with amenities, and there is a shared kitchen and separate dining room with a common table.
Residency is now a cultural destination that is loved by locals and travelers because of its unprecedent artistic content in an unconventional setting. By hosting a rich program of events, we seek to help art find its way into the hearts of as many people as possible. We are a point of intersection between humans and nature, the local and the global, cutting-edge practices and age-old traditions, a place where new meanings emerge via creative experiments.
Community-building
Physical transformation of place
Local historical heritage and traditions
Inter-generational exchange
Contemporary diversity
Sustainability is a global effort, yet it always starts out small. Each mindful lifestyle choice contributes to maintaining the wellbeing of our planet, so at PAiR, we pursue and encourage sustainable living and ethical consumption. We seek to give a second life to the things we no longer need by recycling or upcycling them. We sort and compost our waste, minimize the use of paper and keep our energy usage low by employing low energy lighting and appliances. We encourage our residents to explore the surroundings on foot or by bicycle while staying at PAiR. We also instruct them on sustainable ways to travel to and from Pāvilosta. Whenever possible, we opt for organic and Fairtrade products. Much of the food on our table comes from local farmers and we promote a self-sustaining lifestyle by running our own garden with a communal greenhouse.
When reconstructing the building, materials and structure were preserved and restored where possible such as the wood cladding on the facade, exposed brick extension, windows and interior flooring. This approach is still rare and unprecedented and because of that the Residency has already been featured in two national architectural and design magazines.
PAiR is home to a collection of works by established and aspiring contemporary artists from the Baltic region. Paintings, photographs, graphic works and installations blend into the residency’s cosy wooden interior with a distinct vintage touch. All the furniture, lighting elements, tableware and glassware in the Residency is used by applying upcycle principle, nothing was bought new, and the interior and furnishings are made with a reference to 20th-century modernism tradition, thus also providing people with a possibility to educate them of local design traditions. As Residency hosts a specially equipped weaving room where local weavers work, all textile in the Residency is a product made on site. Weaving is an old tradition of Kurzeme region that we preserve and promote by sharing the skills with local community and visitors. We run regular workshops on weaving and knitting, and organize discussions on design and art related subjects by inviting distinguished scholars from abroad and the region.
To expand PAiR’s atmosphere of community and aesthetic values beyond the doors of the residency, we have established a garden where everyone can become part of a collective effort to embody the beauty of nature while respecting local landscaping traditions. Our garden is also a space for encounters, co-creation and mutual learning. Here, members of the local community are invited to share and pass on their gardening talents. People love our garden and use it for meetings, book readings and public encounters. In collaboration with Pāvilosta municipality, the square facing PAiR will soon be transformed into a sculpture park, hosting pieces created by contemporary artists for the meaningful enjoyment of connoisseurs and the wider public alike. The sculpture garden idea was born back in 1980s but never put to life.
When creating PAiR, we based the idea of our project on the fundamentals that were established by Black Mountain College in 1933 - we see PAiR as the place founded on the principles of balancing the humanities, arts, and manual labor within a democratic, communal structure. We are strong believers that the community may thrive in an environment fostered by a strong sense of community and artistic intensity.
From the very start the Residency was created to cater to all. We offer a rich programme of events and workshops aiming to engage a diverse audience in dialogue with art, and strengthen Pāvilosta’s status as an essential cultural destination on the west coast of Latvia. We host a public arts space that is the ONLY place in the region where one can appreciate contemporary art. The PAiR public programme aims to establish a meaningful connection between professionals in arts and culture and locals and visitors to Pāvilosta. Panel discussions, public lectures, book readings, theatre and music performances seek to prompt the transfer of insights and experiences between members of the art world and the wider public.
At PAiR, members of the Pāvilosta community are invited not only to learn, but also to teach. We appreciate the knowledge and skills that have been nurtured over the ages as part of the local identity, and look at weaving and foraging for healing herbs as sources from which inspiration can be drawn in the 21st century as well.
The first two years of Residency have shown that diverse in terms of their backgrounds, interests and disciplines represented, our residents are outstanding professionals who share a common passion for creating new meanings. We aim to continue to explore the diverse socio-environmental landscape of Pāvilosta, engaging with its rich fauna and flora, as well as its community and history.
The PAiR library, containing a constantly growing selection of art books, is open to public.
Operating in a relatively isolated location away from the clutches of urban life, we try to inspire an informal and collaborative spirit - and such a manner has attracted a venerable roster of artists, scientists, writers and instructors willing to work at the Residency. During the two years of operation we have hosted more than 50 residents from Latvia and abroad (Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, France, Japan, Australia, USA, Canada), and run more than 30 workshops and discussions, organized over 12 exhibitions in our public gallery, hosted numerous talks by scientists, artists and writers. Our arts gallery has attracted more than 2000 visitors from local community and travelers. Local municipality has voted as the number one destination for tourists in the region, and is actively participating in all public events we organize, by also distributing info on their website and social media.
The weaving studio is open to any local community member interested in learning weaving skills, and has also contributed to several artworks created by artists working in the Residency. The artworks of resident artist Rasmus Myrup (Denmark) made in the weaving studio were later displayed in the arts gallery in New York (https://rasmusmyrup.com/sluttheend.html).
We are closely cooperating with the local Pavilosta Childrens Art School by running workshops for children on various artistic practices, inviting children to all our public events, and even creating artworks together with children. One of the artworks that was created together by artists Skuja Braden (represented Latvia in Venice Biennale in 2022) and local children is now displayed on the wall of the local arts school. As the result of our workshops, children have learned to work with a clay, paint on a textile, make art objects from natural materials, and use photo camera to make artistic pictures.
Pāvilosta is known as a haven of historical wooden architecture on the Kurzeme coast, so during the reconstruction of building we relied on local artisans who know and appreciate historical building technics, thus preserving historical elements and restoring what had been demolished. During this process, we also consulted with the local municipality and citizens to hear their wishes for community gathering space, and thus the idea of weaving studio was born. Weaving is an old tradition and craft of region and there was no appropriate space to host the local community interested in preserving it. To respect the local traditions of herb gathering, we consulted members of the local community to share and pass on their gardening talents.
We are well recognized in the Latvian arts community and regularly collaborate with kim? Contemporary Art Center, ISSP photography school and residency, Riga International Photography Biennale, with whom we organize educational public program within the period of residency. We collaborate with the Latvian University (particularly Faculty of Biology) to frame the residency’s theme and to provide specialist availability and suggestions to residents during the particular residency period.
On the regional level, we cooperate with Baltic art institutions (Rupert residency in Lithuania, Kai art center in Estonia, Estonian Contemporary Art Center). On the Scandinavian level, we have invited a curator from Kiasma museum in Finland. This year we are in talks with Moderna Museet in Stockholm. We are also regularly organizing a Visitors program where curators, collectors and journalists from Nordic countries and globally visit Latvia and Pavilosta to get acquainted with residents and their work.
A whole range of design disciplines were involved in the design and implementation of PAiR, including architects (UE Studio Design), local artisans, landscape architects (Galantus Gardens), and others. Since the building had been abandoned for more than 20 years, we had to install a brand new heating system, install exterior and interior sanitary installations to ensure water circuit inside the house, and the garden irrigation outside. The preparation of the project, the selection of the right components and the start of the works were coordinate by an authorized specialist, supervising each step of the renovation. The whole renovation process took us 14 months in total.
The total repurposing (saving) of a space has led to inter-generational exchange of designers and community building among local artisans and design specialists, local herb gatherers and established landscape designers.
During the two years of operation, we have hosted more than 50 residents from Latvia and abroad (Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, France, Japan, Australia, USA, Canada), and run more than 30 workshops and discussions, organized over 12 exhibitions in our public gallery, hosted numerous talks by scientists, artists and writers. Our arts gallery has attracted more than 2000 visitors from local community and travelers. Local municipality has voted as the number one destination for tourists in the region, and is actively participating in all public events we organize, by also distributing info on their website and social media.
Our residency has been widely featured in a national media as an example of sustainability, while quoting our approach with two rules:
1) Be respectful! When restoring an old building, it is recommended to look at it with respect as a subject with its own individual genius loci or spirit of place. The building has witnessed many celebrations and crises, it has aged through the generations along with its previous occupants.
2) Be gentle! When restoring a building, be careful that the desire to inject trivial modernity and comfort into the old body does not turn it into an example of botched plastic surgery, which completely changes the authenticity and turns it into a modern plastic product.
We have also been featured in a local media as an example of community gardening. https://www.delfi.lv/majadarzs/pagalms/saknu-un-auglu-darzs/pavilosta-izveidota-kopienas-siltumnica-kur-dalities-zinasanas-par-darzniecibu.d?id=54590266
We truly believe that PAiR has restored the feeling of belonging for local community who love to attend our art events, public greenhouse, or simply sit in the garden, and have shaped the ambitions for young people at regional level.
We believe that new meanings emerge via creative experiments and interdisciplinary knowledge-sharing. We model an innovative style of interaction to educate a generation of confident, independent, original thinkers to participate in a democratic society. We put the arts at the very center of things, as we believe that the study of art leads to a community capable of making complex choices. We foster a multidisciplinary approach to art, being it a music, drama and fine art, and mix it with an array of other disciplines - biology, quantum physics, design and crafts.
Our rich public programming creates a platform for conversation and learning, fostering critical thinking and artistic experiments. Artists in Residency program serves as a platform for the development of intercultural cooperation, development of interdisciplinary knowledge and promotion of location-related artistic research.
Similar to Black Mountain College, we use non-hierarchical methodologies that place residents, locals and educators on the same level. We believe in importance of balancing education, art, and cooperative labor, so we encourage residents to participate in farm work, and kitchen duty as part of their holistic experience. The residents are involved at all levels of institutional decision-making.
PAiR seeks to foster the process of belonging by engaging people in a free-spirited give-and-take, in which everyone has something to learn and something to teach. Away from the usual distractions which make concentration a challenge, the nature at Pāvilosta enables that significant something – so difficult to grasp in the grind of the daily routine – to be clearly seen and expressed.
PAiR residency team believes in the importance of gender equality as not only a fundamental human right, but also a key determinant of our health and wellbeing. Therefore we select our residents respecting inclusion of 50/50% male and female participants and we will develop several educational programms regarding Ecofeminism questions.
Child and youth activities are crucial part of our public programs and all our residency projects are closely connected to educational and public programs. Our public program is developed in cooperation with the Pāvilosta Children's Art and Music School, involving children and young people in creative processes. The aim of PAiR is to promote arts education within the youngest groups of society, to promote understanding of cultural and social issues, to explain artistic processes and to encourage critical thinking.
We believe that with the help of the contemporary art education program it is possible to build communication between visitors and artists and industry professionals and improve the visitors’ exhibition experience, offering both intellectually informative events and opportunities for practical engagement. All the residency programs are accompanied by a multifaceted education program, which allows visitors to gain a deeper understanding of artists creative work. Practical sessions with artists, lectures, discussions with the exhibition’s creators are a crucial part of PAiR.
We think that this innovative style of interaction to educate a generation of confident, independent, original thinkers can be replicated on a community level globally. We believe that the study and interaction with art leads to a community capable of making complex choices.
By exploring the diverse socio-environmental landscape of a locality, we can cultivate sustainable ways of being that draw from natural processes and rhythms, engaging with the local fauna and flora, as well as its community and history.
We believe that self-organizing communities supported by local philanthropic resources are key to addressing their societies’ problems and improving quality of life. Even the most crucial social problems can be better solved starting from the bottom. We are convinced that local communities should play the key role in the process of a global problem resolution such as sustainability and biodiversity. Sustainability and synthesis of diverse artistic fields is one of the main aims of PAiR residency. Focus of PAiR program is to raise ecological issues, to identify the environmental issues of Pāvilosta and integrate related information in a broader context. We will continue to explore the nature phenomenon, adhering closely to the processes of plants, territory and life. Secondly, the PAiR residency seeks to highlight social sustainability through interaction of professionals. The art and culture projects implemented by PAiR residency are designed with a long-term perspective and social integration of different sectors in the process. All the artists who stay at the residency, work together with philosophers, researchers, biologists, composers and local artisans to create research-based, interdisciplinary projects.
By empowering local communities and encouraging them to take part in such process we foster solidarity by cherishing the values of community philanthropy (tolerance, empathy, care and peace) and inspire them by promoting good practice.
