1997

"1997" is an autoethnographic performance art piece centered around the act of storytelling. Through a narrative based on real events, I invited the audience to join me in celebrating, dancing, and singing different songs popular during the 1990s in Latvia. By weaving together personal anecdotes, family history, and reflections on my upbringing in Latvia's countryside during the 1990s, I immersed the audience into their own subjective experience, creating a personal narrative that resonated with their memories and the broader socio-political context. I also juxtaposed these personal stories with current global events, fostering a dialogue between past and present, personal and political. At the conclusion of the performance, I also presented a video work titled "1997".

"(..) All the guests ate and drank. My grandmother's sister was sitting next to me; she was high– tempered and had a very loud voice. She loved to drink and would usually try to get someone to have a drinking competition with her, but no one wanted to take part. She was some kind of a mystery to me; she was married to a motorcyclist, who was 25 years younger than her. Many of my relatives were quite skeptical about it, but no one said anything to her because they were all a bit intimidated by her temper. I don't know where her motorcyclist was at that time, but she was sitting next to me then. After she had drunk a few shots of pure brandy, she began to sing and the others joined in. As usual, all the celebrations consisted of eating, drinking, and singing songs, with the main themes being unrequited love and war."

- Quote from the story "1997"