From June 20 to August 2, the contemporary art gallery Asni will host a solo exhibition by photographer Pēteris Vīksna entitled This Feels Familiar. In this new series of works, Pēteris explores two parallel narratives — urban and corporeal — by analysing their intersections, contrasts, and common structures. The exhibition is part of the Riga Photography Biennial Next 2025 programme, whose theme this year is «Invisible but Present». Vīksna’s work closely resonates with this concept, offering reflections on the strangely familiar feeling of recognition.
For a month and a half, the Asni gallery will be transformed by photographic works of diverse materialities, alongside a unique installation dedicated to urbanity. This installation frames the urban environment as both an inclusive space for people and a subject of anthropological inquiry. Vīksna suggests that the trajectories shaped by human movement can shift in meaning when captured through photographic fragmentation; familiar places lose their assigned significance when the camera reveals unexpected details. In line with this conceptual approach, Pēteris Vīksna has created a new series specifically for the exhibition, exploring the theme of human corporeality. His portrayal of the nude challenges the androcentrism of traditional representations. By treating the body as an expressive actor, he investigates the boundaries of comfort and discomfort and reflects on the varied belief systems that shape our perceptions. Through a collaborative visual dialogue with each model, Vīksna creates a layered and inclusive perspective on the human form.
Writer and curator Charlotte Cotton has written that one of the most dramatic techniques of still life photography is when photographers explore how we see (or, on the contrary, do not see) the things around us. This draws attention to our perception of things. Pēteris Vīksna also invites the viewer to think, consciously creating observations of the world’s cities and people, as if mapping states of consciousness. At the same time, his works reveal a strong sense of irony and a focus on paradoxes that have often arisen under the influence of historical, political, and social circumstances.
Pēteris Vīksna is one of the most active Latvian photographers of the new generation. His interest is the collective environment and urban landscapes that contain various contrasts and absurdities. Vīksna is a photographer who strives not to interfere with the urban environment. At the same time, he actively documents his generation in various informal situations where control is his main compositional device. He currently lives in Amsterdam, where he collaborates with artists from around the world.
Pēteris Vīksna’s solo exhibition This Feels Familiar will be on view at the Asni Gallery from June 20 to August 2. The exhibition is curated by Auguste Petre. The exhibition is supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation, Riga City Council, GroGlass, Ramirent, Adverts Printing House, Arctic Paper, Arterritory.com, Echo Gone Wrong, and NOBA. The exhibition is part of the Riga Photography Biennial Next 2025 programme.
Viedokļi