Exhibition “Field Research in Ogre Municipality”, (video)

On November 15, 2024, the Ogre History and Art Museum opened the exhibition “Field Research in Ogre Municipality”, presenting visitors with the artistic research results of Japanese artist Ikuru Kuwajima from the first international artist residency held at the museum in 2024.

Over six months, the artist explored the landscape and history of the rural areas of Ogre Municipality. He undertook expeditions along the Daugava and Ogre rivers and searched for archival photographs in the municipality’s museums and libraries. The artist visualized his research with references to several folk tales and legends.

Kuwajima visualised his research through references to several folk tales and legends, using a combination of archival photographs, his own photographs, and found objects. For example, the installation dedicated to the Ogre River features collages of linden leaves and photographs taken along the riverbank, referencing the legend “How Ogre Came to Be”, which tells that the river originated from a linden tree. Another work draws inspiration from several legends associated with the Daugava River and Ķente Hillfort, as well as Andrejs Pumpurs’ epic “Lāčplēsis”. The exhibition presented both historical images and entirely new depictions of the area.