At the end of April, the Riga Photography Biennale – Next 2025 / Day will begin

The Riga Photography Biennale (RFB) was founded in 2015 and the Next 2025 program will take place on its 10th anniversary. The name of the RFB’s incident program NEXT (« Next » in English translated) includes the idea of ​​movement. The next is a transition that is never safe, predictable, or previously known, with its direct and irreversible presence constantly asking – is the next one has any relationship with the former? The Next provides a platform for new, prospective artists and curators offering original, contemporary views and encourages them to explore the power of the image with their works.

Next 2025 Program Central Events are Contests Looking for the new photo! and The new curator! Winning exhibitions. In order to update the curator as creative personalities and mediator among artists, artwork, the importance of spectators and societies in contemporary cultural processes, RFB – NEXT in cooperation with the Latvian Academy of Arts Curators’ Program in 2021 started the competition in 2021 The new curator!, For the first time in 2025, the new curators of not only the locals were to apply, but not only the locals, but also the new Baltic countries – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. This year the award was won by the new curator Roberta Finde (LV), whose exhibition Bureaucrat who secretly reads poems will be on view at the experimental exhibition space of the Latvian Academy of Arts Pilot April 25 to June 6. Robert’s exhibition focuses on bureaucracy and administrative processes in art and their aesthetics in modern context. Exhibitors: Jon Huntington (John HuntingtonSE), Arta Kauliņa (LV), Sarah Krgholt-Trir (Sara Krøgholt Trier, DK), Catarina Mudista (Katariin Mudist, EE), Evija Pintane (LV).

In turn, the competition Looking for the new photo! The first time was held in 2016 and has been implemented in cooperation with the ISSP Gallery since 2019 to encourage the new artists of the Baltic States to discover a conceptually deep, original view of the events of their era in visually strong works. Competition Looking for the new photo! Winner Rude Ulasas (Ruudu Ulas, Ee) solo exhibition Sophisticated objects The ISSP Gallery will be on view from April 26 to May 30. Jury member Kull Lasa (Kulla Laas, EE) The work of the ore is described by: « Rude Ulas is very skillfully creating strong photos with minimal elements and clean exhibit forms. The scenes depicted are frozen, isolated moments with unexpected and unseen.

25 April ISSP Gallery, Next 2025 Awards Looking for the new photo! On the opening evening of the exhibition, the other 2025 finalists of the competition will present his works, Klaus Leo Richter (Klaus Leo RichterLt), rin (Riin Maid, EE), Keya’s sister (Keiu Maasik, EE), Gedvile Tamosjunaite (Gedvile Tamosiunaite, LT) and Pauls Punkstiņa (LV). Looking for the new photo! There are also long -standing partners who present their special prizes. Lithuanian book publishing houses will take place on May 28 Noroutine Books Awards – Books of Trina Kerges Scenes from a lost family album – Presentation. In turn, the fund VV Foundation Prize winner in Karlot’s Lane (Karlotta Lainväe, EE) In addition to the € 1,000 cash prize, he has also received the opportunity to spend a month in the Pavilosta residence in Pair.

The Next – 2025 programs will also open several other exhibitions. From May 9 to July 6, Exhibition Halls Riga Contemporary Art Space Intro hall will be on display in Ukrainian origin, currently in Norway, Lesa Vasilchenko (Lesia Vasylchenko) solo exhibition Chronosher. The exhibition focuses on the war breaks, ruptures, overlaps and transforms the structure of human and superhuman existence, printing in both personal and collective time. Exhibition curators: Inga Bruvere (LV), Marie Šaukolda (Marie SjøvoldNo).

From May 16 to June 29 in the Cultural Room Bent There will be a group exhibition Neurons desperately looking for each other, Turning on issues of continuously present, effective thoughts, and where the thoughts arise and how the threads are formed that permeate the mind. Participants: Agate Tuna (LV), Louise Nezberte (LV), Heiki Leiss (Heikki Leis, EE), Kristaps Freimanis (LV). Curator and stage designer: Laima Daberte (LV). In turn, in the gallery Alma May 31 to August 1 at Vika Ecsta’s solo exhibition A funeral slobode Through an anthropological view of the funeral rituals, the mission of the photographer’s mission will be as objective as possible as it is. Curator: Astrīda Riņķe (LV).

This year, too, the Riga Photography Biennale will enter the urban environment. From June 9 to 22, artist jao Shancjin (Sheaung Yiu, HK/FI) Riga Public Transport Stops with an outdoor project Predicted e-Signs or how to read faces Encourages to think of a person’s character and destiny by his face. In a visual study, Jao Shancjin uses its own face, which is exposed to various processes, testing the traditions developed in ancient Eastern and Western societies with new technology tools. Curators: Inga Bruvere (LV), Marié Šēvolda (No).

RFB – Next 2025 closing exhibition – Peter Viksna’s solo exhibition This Feels Familiar In the gallery Sprout – will be on view from June 20 to August 2. The exhibition is the story of an urban environment and its visual language. For more than five years, the artist has created an ambitious photo archive of the contrasting mood of Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Berlin, Paris, London, Tokyo, Amsterdam and other cities and is used as anthropological research material. Curator: Auguste Petre (LV).

The NEXT 2025 exhibitions will also be complemented by the education program, continuing to analyze the topics affected by lectures, discussions and workshops and seeking to explore the role of the image in today’s world. The RFB – Next 2025 Exhibitions and Events will also be able to purchase a special program edition, which will focus more on the issues discussed in the events.

Riga Photography Biennale (RFB) is an international contemporary art event that focuses on analysis of visual culture and artistic representation. Photography in the title of the Biennale is used as a unifying concept for a wide variety of artistic practices that continue to transform the language of contemporary art in the 21st century. Every second year there is the Riga Photography Biennial – the Next Program. Introducing new, prospective authors, the Next program provides visibility and platform so that young artists and curators can apply for themselves in a broader context. In 2025, the NEXT program takes place for the fifth time.