Baltic Horizons. New Opportunity for Art

A new opportunity for artists has appeared on the map of Central Europe. It brings together artists and communities in the Baltic Sea basin. A new international sculpture competition – Baltic Horizons is opening up the Sopot city space. It also shows the bond between people through art and culture, which is especially important. On this occasion I had the pleasure of talking to the organisers and jury members: Jacek Karnowski – the Mayor of the City of Sopot, Vita Birzaka from the Latvian National Museum, Eulalia Domanowska – the Director of the State Art Gallery in Sopot, and Maria Rosa – online marketing director of ERGO Hestia; about the stages of the competition, we can expect this year, about the goal behind it, as well as about strengthening Baltic relations.

Dobromiła Błaszczyk: You co-create a coherent and long-term project to introduce contemporary art to the space of Sopot. What does it mean for the residents of the city? Do you have any specific assumptions regarding your projects or do you give full freedom to the artists?

Jacek Karnowski: The competition is accompanied by an idea that combines care for the natural environment and for a friendly space − with particular attention on climate change and the cleanliness of the Baltic Sea. Art in public spaces inspires residents and tourists to reflect on the issues, builds relations and gives food for thought. Baltic Horizons links the aesthetic and social aspects also in the context of responsibility for climate change and for the space we live in and share with others. Partners from Baltic cities were invited to participate in the competition, thus we are strengthening and nurturing relationships between our residents, cities and states through culture. During the study visit, artists invited to participate in the competition took a close look at the city, getting to know its architecture, to fit their sculptures or objects into Sopot’s urban fabric in the best way possible.

Maria Rosa: On the one hand, art in the urban space aims to engage the recipients, to make them reflect and take part in the discussion, as an integral part of their lives, and on the other hand, it aims to initiate development, a change of perspective and a break in the daily routine.

As the final project will be selected through a competition, we set out certain assumptions, but at each stage, we tried to make sure that the artists would not experience any limitations. The basic traits of the object had to include references to climate change, creating a vision of a durable sculpture and locating it in Sopot.

Vita Birzaka: Last year, the Latvian National Museum of Art gladly agreed to be involved in the City of Sopot’s environmental art project for several reasons. First of all, it would be a great opportunity for Latvian artists, alongside their Polish, Lithuanian and Finnish colleagues, to participate in an international competition, offering their vision of contemporary art in the urban environment. It is such a creative challenge. Secondly, our museum has had very good cooperation so far with the Polish colleagues involved in the project, specifically, the art scientist and curator, the current director of the State Art Gallery of Sopot, Eulalia Domanowska. Within the Sopot project, the museum had more of the initial organizational functions for potential Latvian participants. Everything related to the regulation of the competition, its holding and further activities was completely under the control of Polish colleagues, as well as further work with the artists, organisation of the exhibition and working with the competition winner.

DB: What criteria did you apply to select the nominated artists?

MR: As organisers, we were not involved in the artist selection procedure. We invited renowned institutions with an established reputation from Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland to select the artists.

VB: The Latvian National Museum of Art, in order to select the Latvian participants of the competition, formed a working group, which consisted of specialists from the Museum, the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, the Contemporary Art Gallery and the Art Academy of Latvia. Everyone was asked to send in their nominees and then we held a meeting to discuss each of them. We were pleased that we listed a total of 18 artists who could confidently participate. As a result, we agreed on three nominees – Evita Vasiļjeva, Krišs Salmanis and Ēriks Božis. The selection criteria were: convincing creative work of the mentioned artists, accomplished artworks – also in the outdoor space and international recognition. It must be said that all three are very important players in the context of Latvian contemporary art. 

[Editor’s note: list of nominees > https://baltichorizons.com/en/artists/ ]

DB: In today’s post-pandemic times and the reality of what has been going on for a year in Ukraine, and the threat from Russia, any activities aimed at fostering cooperation and showing the strength of communities are particularly vital. What does strengthening Baltic relations through culture and art mean in this context?

JK: Culture and art has always been a bond between people of various backgrounds, cultures and languages… Every activity aimed at unifying people is priceless. To us, as co-organisers, it is crucial to work together to fight for our planet and counteract the devastating effects of human interference in natural ecosystems. Undoubtedly, both the pandemic and the war have disclosed the callousness of many human-initiated processes, and war, as a phenomenon that completely destroys everything that humans have created and humans themselves is an aspect that cannot be overlooked when thinking about activities to draw attention to our common ecological, aesthetic and social well-being.

MR: Above all, the development of community spirit – we have many things in common with each project partner, but everyone is also unique in their own way, and this combination of various experiences and reliance on unrestricted creativity is extremely valuable. By building an international community, we can broaden our horizons, and work out joint actions that meet the needs of today.

VB: At this difficult time, especially the war in Ukraine, it might even seem inappropriate to talk about art projects. Artists do not reflect on events but live in them. There is no time gap to be able to really appreciate the importance of individual things. In my opinion, cooperation projects such as the Sopot Art in Public Space competition are now taking on a parallel political dimension. It is a collaborative work of creative people from several countries, which speaks of the ability to agree and achieve a result. It is important that the artworks in the urban environment also become educators of society and speak about current issues in the world in the format of contemporary art.

Eulalia Domanowska: This is a question addressed to a greater extent to politicians than cultural representatives. Cooperation between the countries of the Baltic Sea region is a natural phenomenon, at least it should be. It is important for several reasons: geographical proximity, similar problems and the need to better get to know our neighbours, who have a different history and are at various stages of development. When we constructed our project, it was before the war in Ukraine. Today, this strengthening of bond is all the more necessary. We have selected leading institutions from Lithuania, Latvia, Finland and Poland who are interested in our project.

The cultural diversity of our region is also very interesting. Scandinavia is so different from the things that are happening in Poland or Germany. We started to consider extending the project in the future to all the countries in the Baltic Sea region, we are already talking to our partners from Baltic Horizons.

DB: Art is to be a ‘link’ between all the contributors to the competition, but not only. What issues do you wish to discuss with residents and tourists? Each edition should have a theme – so what types of aspects would you like to emphasise through art?

MR: The aim of our activities is to deal with the issues related to sculpture, its significance for public space and climate change, with particular attention to the state of the Baltic Sea.

ED: Artists take up topics that are important for the planet, and our life on the planet, searching for new possibilities after the failure of globalisation, which is a source of destruction rather than bonding. Climate change is surely significant for the Baltic Sea region, just like to everyone else. That is why we are supported by scientists from the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences based in Sopot. Awareness of the prospect of change and the transformation of our environments along with the individual measures that every inhabitant of the Earth should adopt are absolutely crucial. Artists can make this subject matter visible and appealing to our imagination. 

JK: It is important to be aware that we have a great influence on spaces, both aesthetically and ecologically. Art is meant to inspire and make us think. Art in the public space fulfils the task twofold. It has an effect on those who look for it, as well as on those who come across art casually, by accident. It is important that it should not leave recipients indifferent, but makes them richer, better, and more attentive… Of course, the project might contribute to the aestheticisation of urban space, which is why we have included Baltic Horizons in a more comprehensive idea under the slogan ‘Sopot − a City of Sculpture’ through which we acquire new objects and organise the space in which they are located. We do stock-taking, describe, refresh, and rearrange… The moment the first sculpture is placed in Sopot as part of the Baltic Horizons competition, residents and tourists will be able to see that their favourite facilities, which previously found their place in the public space, will get a new splendour and descriptions, including multimedia details. In-depth information about the sculpture and its author will be available, for example, by scanning a QR code.

DB: Such a strong focus on art is a sign that the city perceives its image in an innovative way, together with its culture-forming and development responsibilities (not only at the domestic scale but also in the entire Baltic Sea region). What is the vision of the new Sopot?

JK: Sopot has always been associated with innovative activities, also in the cultural sphere. It should not be forgotten that the place is often referred to as ‘the city of artists.’ This is where the first artistic higher-education establishment in the seaside region was opened after World War II, and it was here that the representatives of the so-called ‘Sopot School’ and outstanding artists such as Horno-Popławski or Adam Smolana worked. Sopot also changed a lot in music. This is where new trends were born, and the first Polish jazz festival was organised, contributing to the tradition of Sopot festivals. In fact, we still have excellent classical music, jazz and contemporary entertainment music festivals in Sopot. We have a great gallery, whose activities are supported by grassroots creative and artistic initiatives as well as cultural event organisation. We have five cultural institutions, including Goyki 3 Art Inkubator, which is an innovative and interdisciplinary institution, the first of its kind in Poland, focused on supporting the creative process. Our residents are deeply engaged in the activities of non-governmental organisations. The local government’s response entails the highest per capita expenditures on grants in the country and a significant investment in culture. Artists who love the city come to Sopot to participate in open-air workshops, art residencies and festivals. We try to exploit the potential and create conditions for the development of all kinds of new initiatives that our residents enjoy and are attractive to our guests. The city is developing on many levels. Culture is not only about institutions, artists and NGOs, but also the audience, which includes senior citizens who are extremely active in Sopot and are keen recipients of our cultural proposal, who are ‘hungry’ for new events. Sopot’s seniors are the reason why we escape from negative statistics. Data related to life expectancy has deteriorated in Poland after the pandemic. But it did not change for Sopot – here people live the longest! Culture is also influenced by our new residents from Ukraine or Belarus, including children and young people from the Youth Culture Centre or library visitors whose expectations have gone beyond borrowing books a long time ago, as well as the functions of libraries. We are a medium-sized city adapted to the human scale, we have our own museum, which not only documents our history but also builds our community and nurtures the ‘Sopot spirit’ in residents. We have the Forest Opera, a concert shell near the pier, a University branch, private colleges and an active University of the Third Age… Sopot is associated with a health resort, in a good taste, with class, beautiful views and nature, it is also artistically vibrant. It has been so in the past and I am convinced that it is still so. 

DB: After 20 years of organising one of the most important competitions for young artists in Poland − Hestia Artistic Journey, you decided to go further than that last year. You are integrating the Baltic Sea circles and creating an international competition. What is more, it is a sculpture/installation competition (with today’s ever present painting craze, it is a bold move supporting an underestimated art domain, which is more demanding, also financially). Can you tell us about your motivation and goals? Why sculpture? 

MR: Sculptures and installations are objects that may influence our community in a special way; due to their location in the urban space, they become an integral part of our daily lives. Each time, every interference with the space is burdened with great responsibility. However, we are aware that the introduction of contemporary art to our surroundings may bring huge positive outcomes – art is the language of communication and usually refers to emotions, so it is able to reach its recipients directly. In the world we live in, it is necessary to educate and take action to improve it. We believe that spatial objects might contribute to initiating a discussion on climate change, for example.

DB: What competition stages can we expect this year?

MR: The final exhibition of the 1st edition of Baltic Horizons will open at PGS in Sopot on 28 April and will run until 18 June. This is when we are planning to announce the winning project. We will be able to admire the object itself in the Sopot space at the end of 2023.

DB: Exhibition at the State Art Gallery (PGS) in Sopot will not be limited to showcasing works. Could you tell us something about the assumptions behind the event?

ED: The Baltic Horizons exhibition will be a presentation of projects submitted by eleven artists from Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, created for Północny Park in Sopot. We are expecting site-specific projects. In October 2022 the artists came on a study visit to Sopot, where they got to know the history of the city, its architecture, and the issues related to the state of the Baltic Sea, its ecological status and climate changes that are taking place in the region. 

In addition to showcasing the projects, we also want to present the profiles of artists nominated for the competition by representatives of the four participating institutions. We plan to show two or three works by each of the artists, selected by Mariola Balińska, exhibition curator, together with the documentation of their creative work in the form of photographs, videos, or animation. Sopot residents and all interested visitors will also be able to meet the competition winner to find out more about the ideas behind the winning project. The winner will have an opportunity to take part in a month-long residency in Sopot, which will allow him or her to get to know the public and the venue better, and vice versa.

The exhibition will be accompanied by an educational programme in the public space and meetings with experts, both from Poland and from the institutions invited to take part in the project.