https://www.epo.org/en/about-us/art/50-years-epc-exhibition/catalyst-lab-curated-ars-electronica/untitled-1

Jānis Dzirnieks (LV), Untitled

Untitled, 2020
Lightning rods, found lamp, lid, light bulb splitters, polyester resin
190 x 130 cm

From the carbon footprint of data centres, to discarded electronic devices and packaging, the traces of daily patterns of production and consumption often end up strewn across the Earth. Dzirnieks is continuously researching materials and hi-tech processes, often through the use of found advertisements, light fixtures, scientific illustrations and parts of heat regulating devices. His creative process explores topics such as planned obsolescence, synthetic environments and the vulnerability of the human psyche.

Dzirnieks found the desk lamps for this installation on the streets of the Netherlands. “I was drawn to the paradox of light,” he explains. “Like a moth to a flame, or a human staring at light or following its lead even though it can be dazzling. The discomfort intrigued me, as did the visual design of each lamp that I found. It was a playful process.” In turn, the found objects irresistibly seem to invite viewers into their orbit.

Dzirnieks says more generally of his works: “They often involve found images and readymades that already carry meanings and associations from their use in the real world. Through the manipulation and deformation of them, I create visual metaphors which activate my view of present-day society.”

Jānis Dzirnieks is a Latvian artist based in Rotterdam. He studied visual communication at the Latvian Academy of Art and obtained a master’s degree from the Piet Zwart Institute in Rotterdam. He also studied at the Universität der Künste in Berlin. Since 2013, he has created illustrations for Popper Publishing publications and exhibitions. He has also exhibited at Zwitischer Maschine (Berlin); Maloinoji6 (Vilnius); La Escocesa (Barcelona); Deutsches Haus at NYU; 427 and Alma (both in Riga) as well as the National Library of Latvia exhibition halls and others. Dzirnieks is part of the artist group 3/8, within which he has held two exhibitions in Riga: X kg (2016) at 427 gallery and / (2015) at RIXC media space.