Succumbing to Temptation / Exhibition by Aleksandrs Breže at the KOGO gallery
Photoreport
Until October 12, exhibition ‘Succumbing to Temptation’ by Latvian artist Aleksandrs Breže is on view at the Kogo gallery in Tartu (Estonia) organized in collaboration with LOOK! Gallery in Riga.
“Kids tend to imagine different natural and man-made objects as things to play with. They become characters of the child’s imagination – without attention to the initial purpose. For Latvian artist Aleksandrs Breže, environmental design and the functionality of the objects we surround ourselves with are the main sources of inspiration. He enlivens pieces of furniture and interior elements by playing with associations and blending
boundaries between traditional and futuristic aesthetics.
Lasered, welded, screwed and suspended – his sculptures all have the propensity to create a captivating feeling of uneasiness, of something that twists our subconscious mind, prejudices and relationship with those aspects of life connected with the term faith.
Sharp edges and flame-like silhouettes somehow translate the forbidden that is often the most desired. We’ve heard from the bible, and TikTok keeps reminding you, that a man is just a man, with all his flaws, doomed to mortality. When entering adulthood, we learn new ways of play and form new types of relationships to the world. Suddenly we are exposed to a sea of responsibility and a never-ending search for purpose while all we can do is surrender to and dwell in the tempting pleasure of nothingness.”
View from a solo show Succumbing to Temptation by Aleksandrs Breže, Kogo Gallery, 2024. Photo: Marje Eelma
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 8, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 8, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 7, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 6, 2024
View from a solo show Succumbing to Temptation by Aleksandrs Breže
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 4, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 5, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 5, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 3, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 2, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 1, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 1, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, Liturgical Paraphernalia No. 1, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, CRISIS MOON COMPACT, 2024
Aleksandrs Breže, CRISIS MOON COMPACT, 2024
Exjibition view
Aleksandrs Breže (b. 1994) graduated from the Graphic Art Department at Gerrit Rietveld Academie (Amsterdam) and the Estonian Academy of Arts (Tallinn). He is passionate about the narrow distinction between contemporary art and object design – how the first can be domesticated and the latter used for contemplation. Breže has a proven talent for intricately weaving sculptural narratives, for example, when reflecting memories from his upbringing and study years, as notably showcased in his
debut solo exhibition Optimism-Confidence-Charity (2023, LOOK! Gallery, Riga).
His art delves into the struggle for individuality amidst enforced
conformity. Through abstract spatial installations, he explores the clash between written laws, religious values and the harsh reality of institutional control.
