The Aims of the Residency

The aim is to support the development of contemporary and interdisciplinary art, especially there are welcomed artists working with performing arts, audiovisual performance, processual art, butoh, physical, voice, dance, postdramatic theatre, acoustic art, site specific and contemporary dance, neurosciences, arts therapy related, and body-mind approaches.

MĀ TELPA is interested in interdisciplinary artists and scientists, who creates on crossroads of different media, science, and arts. The interdisciplinary art entails learning about the world and human nature through the creative process. It links written, visual, media, dance, theatre and performance art, and explores the meaning and potential arts, across diverse social and cultural settings. The main emphasis of the residency is the research on the creative potential of human’s body-and-mind using knowledge of neuroscience, mindfulness, art therapy, psycho-physical approaches as a way of getting new knowledge about human beings as well finding therapeutic potential of contemporary art.

On the other hand the centre would like to support contemporary art which is strongly rooted or inspired by an archaic, primordial and/or traditional arts. We believe that contemporary society suffers from lack of identity, and self-awareness and artists may re-create contemporary form of myth. 

Administrator - association LABORATORY OF STAGE ARTS

MĀ TELPA Artist Residency is administrated by non-governmental & nonprofit association “Laboratory of Stage Arts” (founded in 2005). The main aims are development of interdisciplinary, performance art, also the organization of small scale festivals, workshops, producing of performances and audiovisual exhibitions, publishing of books, producing of artist's residencies and education in the arts.

Collaboration partner - performance art company IDEAGNŌSIS

The Artist's Residency program also offers creative collaboration with local performance art company IDEAGNŌSIS. The group produces interdisciplinary performances and site-specific works. It thrives on collaboration with foreign and local artists, organize body-work, body-voice workshops and summer camps for professional development.

Collaboration partner - LATVIAN CENTRE FOR PERFORMANCE ART

Nonprofit & non-governmental association “Latvian Centre for Performance Art” (since 2018, November). The main aims: developing of Latvian performance art scene and international collaborations; providing residency for artists; making of Riga International Performance Art Festival: STARPTELPA; organizing scientific research for performance art.

Location

MĀ TELPA is located in the centre of Riga, urban setting, vivid and creative quarter called “Miera street's Republic” which is famous for its artist's galleries, cozy cafes, stylish shops and other creative initiatives. This area is also known for its peaceful spirit, because Miera street is located slightly away from the noisy and busy part of the town. 

MĀ TELPA is located just 15 minutes (by car or bus) from the Central Bus and Train station, also around 40 minutes (by car) from the nearest Riga International Airport.

Studios & Accommodation

MĀ TELPA offers comfortable studios and living space which is designed for Latvian and Japanese style. Free Wireless Internet. 

Large studio (55 m²) – wooden (pine tree) floor, high ceiling (3.50 m), shelves for materials and props, music technique (CD, PC), simple stage lights (2-3), video projector (1). Dance floor (50 m²).

Lielā zāle (55 kv.m) – priedes koka grīda, augstie griesti (3.50 m), plaukti rekvizītu novietnei, mūzikas apratūra (tumbas, vads PC, diski), skatuves prožektori (2 gab.), video projektors (1 gab.).
 

If it is necessary, it is possible to combine both studios in one, because the wall between them is removable (65 m²).

 Ja nepieciešams, abas telpas iespējams apvienot (siena ir izņemama), tādējādi iegūstot 65 kv.m. telpu.

Changing room | Pārģērbšanās telpa

Kitchen – simple equipment with all necessary for life: fridge, microwave owen, induction cooker. 

Virtuve - vienkāršs aprīkojums ar visu dzīvei nepieciešamo

Small studio (10 m²) - wooden (pine tree) floor, high ceiling (3.50 m), chairs (2), sofa (1).

Mazā telpa (10 kv.m) – priedes koka grīda, augstie griesti (3.50 m), krēsli (2 gab.), dīvāns (1 gab.)

Waiting room and wardrobe | Uzgaidāmā telpa un ģērbtuve

WC & shower room | Tualete (ar dušu)

Private room in the loft – designed in Japanese style, small and cozy room for thinking, dreaming and sleeping. 

Dzīvojamā istaba japāņu stilā – istaba izveidota virs virtuves otrajā stāvā. Maza, tomēr jauka un omulīga telpa atpūtai, sapņošanai, domāšanai un miegam.

Conditions

Residency can offer places for 1 or 2 artists (at the same time) all year, preferably during June,1-September, 15. Lengths of residency can be starting from 1 week till 2 month. It is also available other dates. In this case we suggest to contact MA TELPA Artist Residency. 

The artist must submit CV, portfolio, artistic statement, as well plan of residency.

The artist must be ready to give a workshop or masterclass during the residency period as well to present results of residency (in the form of lecture, performance or work in progress) for local audience.

Currently artists will be selected by the artistic team of MĀ TELPA.

Apply here 
More information and questions:
maatelpa@gmail.com; (+371) 29394500

Dalia Kiaupaitė (Lithuania)

Time of Residency: August, 31 – September, 7 (2020)

Aim & Result of Residency: As an independent artist, Dalia Kiaupaitė is researching topics of femininity and recognition of cultural signs - stereotypes and archetypes - in contemporary time. In 2020 she started to work on the artistic project - The Daughter of Serpents‘ Queen. In which she is researching her as Baltic's woman identity through the studies of the myths and personals memories by using skills from both - performing and visual arts - fields for artistic expression. “Do I – the woman – have the opportunity free to create my identity and migrate across cultural spheres?” During her time at the Residency, She spent most of her attention on observations and researches for her authentic relationship with the Baltic Sea, as well as the research for movement inspired by it/concerning it.

About: Dalia Kiaupaitė is a professional Lithuanian based female artist, mostly working in and in- between the fields of theatre, opera and visual art. She holds an MA diploma of stage and theatre costumes design at Vilnius Art Academy. For more as 15 years, she is collaborating in a different theatre, opera, cultural events and activities as the stage, costumes, light designer, also Dalia has experience in acting, stage directing, stage management, curating and theatre research as well as in visual arts – painting, drawing, etc. She is one of the founders and an active member of Possible Futures Forum - an international network of emerging artists and creative producers in the field of performing arts, as well as an individual member of IETM (International network for contemporary performing arts).

Photo: publicity (Dalia Kiaupaitė)

Frauke (Caroline Lundblad) (Sweden)

Time of Residency: June, 9 - June, 18 (2018); September, 23 - September, 26 (2019)

Aim & Result of Residency: butoh based workshop, a performance “UMI” in the Riga International Performance Art Festival: STARPTELPA; performance “HANA” in Riga Small Theatre

About: Frauke (Caroline Lundblad) is a choreographer with a focus on butoh and performance. She is based in Gothenburg, and also does work internationally. She has created her own genre of Butoh where her works are site specific and unique. Frauke often works with other artists from different artistic disciplines and her performances are inspired by contemporary art and contemporary choreography. She is making collaborations with Japanese artists, as Mile Nagaoka, doing documentary, as well taking part in Performing Arts Meeting in Yokohama, and residencies all around the world. Frauke has been granted with the International Choreography Grant by The Swedish Arts Grants Committee (2018).

Website: www.frauke.se

Photo: Anna Drvnik

Maureen Fleming (USA)

Time of Residency: February, 18 – March, 15; June, 4 – June, 17 (2019)

Aim & Result of Residency: Masterclasses, Artist talk, exploration of Maureen Fleming’s method. Participation in the Riga International Performance Art Festival: STARPTELPA with performance “Black Madonna”.

About: Choreographer and performance artist (Fulbright Specialist) Maureen Fleming invents surreal movement poetry with the discipline of a classicist and the imagination of an iconoclast. She is renowned for her original form of visual theatre. According to The New York Times, “she seemed to transcend the material world and enter a realm of pure spirit…wondrous choreographic metamorphosis.” Her works have received international acclaim at prestigious international festivals in Italy, Japan, Iceland, France, Colombia, Korea, Brazil and the US. She has received numerous fellowships from around the world. Some of her evening-length works include collaborations with playwright David Henry Hwang, composer Philip Glass and light and visual designer Christopher Odo. Fleming’s evening length work B. Madonna was presented in the Riga Performance Festival: Starptelpa in June, 2019.

Website: www.maureenfleming.com

Supported by: The Fulbright programme

Photo: Lois Greenfield, Anna Maskava

Alyssa Gersony (USA)

Time of Residency: June, 10 – July, 14 (2019)

Aim & Result of Residency: explorations of contemporary dance and interdisciplinary approach, making of performance. Participation in the Riga International Performance Art Festival: STARPTELPA with collaboration of Latvian Centre for Performance Art.

Work in progress: This showing offered a container for the early-stage research completed at Mā Telpa during the four-week residency period. The body and performance-based artistic inquiry featured questions and topics of: restraint, medicine, ancestry and whiteness. Including both video and audio interactive media, audience members had the opportunity to offer feedback to the artist and engage in dialogue following the showing.

About: Alyssa Gersony (b.1990) is a Queens-based artist making contemporary dance in New York City since 2012.  Her interdisciplinary solo work was commissioned by Gibney Dance as a part of the inaugural Work Up Emerging Artist Series, and she has been invited to present work at Movement Research at the Judson Church, Dixon Place, Triskelion Arts, Green Space, the Center for Performance Research, the Actors Fund Art Center, and Brooklyn Fire Proof. She is currently a research assistant to Jaamil Olawale Kosoko and previously worked as choreographic assistant to Thomas Lehmen and Grisha Coleman. She is an MFA candidate at the University of Iowa, under the Iowa Arts Fellowship. Alyssa graduated from Arizona State University with a BFA in Dance and a BA in Interdisciplinary Performance. She is deeply influenced by socially engaged art practices, and while she isn't dancing, she serves children and adults with visual impairments as a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist and Orientation and Mobility Specialist. She is a Perkins-Roman Endorsee in Cortical Visual Impairment.

Website: www.alyssagersony.com

Video: www.vimeo.com/user6916548

Photo: Anna Maskava

Maija Hirvanen & Juha Valkeapää (Finland)

Time of Residency: September, 3 - September, 12 (2019)

Aim & Result of Residency: Sharing/presentation/work in progress “Life As We Know It”, organized by International Festival of Contemporary Theatre “HOMO NOVUS” (Riga, Latvia).

About the project: Residency, Work in Progress presentation/ sharing

Coming from the fields of choreography and performance, Juha and Maija have followed each other’s work for a decade, and are now making their first joined project together. “Our ability to start something new throughout our whole life depends on our capability to renew ourselves”, tell the artists about this project.

“Doing a 10 days’ creative residency in Riga/Homo Novus Festival. Great time, long days in a studio. We’ve turned our working title “Life as we know” it around and have worked with Life as we don't know it. Collaborating for the first time is intense, trying not to do any compromises. Now we're finding It. This project is like slow cooking. We've discussed a lot, in informal talks and verbal text scores - in a car, ferry, walking. We've worked with movement and breathing, discovering ways of being and physical acts taking us off the talking and into different type of knowledge. If you’re into darkness, ghosts, vampires, aging, fungi, decomposing, the potential of constant change, come along to our sharing/presentation”, tells Maija about this project.

Website / photo: https://www.tinfo.fi

Supported by: Theatre Info Finland TINFO

Simon Capelle & Melodie Lasselin (France)

Time of Residency: July, 19 – July, 25 (2019)

Aim & Result of Residency: explorations of performance art, contemporary dance and interdisciplinary approach, making of performance art project with collaboration of Latvian Centre for Performance Art.

About the project: BARBARE - European Museum of Translation is an ensemble of twenty-eight performances that put the focus on the relation between culture and barbarity, the way nowadays we consider the Other as a foreigner, an enemy, a weakness. With this creation, we fight against the usual representations of gender, races, social classes and cultural assignments. We try to find a new way to translate on stage the contemporary forms of violence that the powers-to-be exercise on specific categories of people. Each of these performances are maximum twenty minutes long, opened to be performed in immersive space, with small technical requests and is meant to create a debate between the viewers. They all come from the bodies of Mélodie Lasselin and Simon Capelle, two French performance artists focused on the question of the body as a territory to explore new representations. Parters: Troubleyn / Jan Fabre, La Rose des Vents scène nationale – Lille Métropole, Théâtre Jacques Tati – Amiens, Théâtre Massenet, CCN – Ballet du Nord, Arts Printing House – Vilnius (Lituanie), Latvian Centre for Performance Art – Riga (Lettonie), I-Portunus – Creative Europe, Le Vivat d’Armentières

Website / photo: www.zonepoeme.com

Ami Skånberg Dahlstedt (Sweden)

Time of Residency: May, 17 – May, 20 (2019)

Aim & Result of Residency: sharing of artistic and administrative experiences: masterclass, performance, artist talk (in collaboration with “Latvian Centre for Performance Art”)

About the project: Ami Skånberg Dahlstedt is a Swedish performer, choreographer, filmmaker and writer. She also teaches dance theory at Academy of Music and Drama, University of Gothenburg. Since 2014, she has been practicing Japanese dance suriashi in different spaces. Suriashi translates as ‘creeping/rubbing/sliding foot’, but it does not only involve the feet, it involves the whole body, and it involves ideas of where spirits are placed. “On my way home from an intense and rewarding workshop with curious students in the most beautiful Latvian-Japanese studio in Riga. We were able to further explore how to practice suriashi, how to combine the sensu with improvisation, and we also had a playful encounter with everyday technology. The workshop ended with a performance,” Ami tells about the Residency.

Website / photo: https://studiobuji.com/

Supported by: Nordic Culture Point / Short Term Network

Tine Louise Kortermand (Denmark)

Time of Residency: February, 22 – February, 26 (2019); June, 9 – June, 16 (2019)

Aim & Result of Residency: sharing of artistic and administrative experiences: masterclass (creativity, word paintings, sound and body), performance “Wear Me”, artist talk, creation of performance/ work in progress “Traktor – New Nordic Rituals” (collaboration with “Latvian Centre for Performance Art” & Riga International Performance Art Festival “STARPTELPA”)

About the project: Tine Louise Kortermand graduated as performance artist from The Academy of Fine Arts, Funen/Denmark in 2001. Her work is a hybrid between music, spherical voice works, radio theatre, video installation and performance art. She mixes alternative trends in both the art world and the music world; from the poetic to the raw, from pop culture to innovative expressions. Thematically her work is based on communication and social relationships. She works with clarification of values and identity. Identifying the issues which are part of everyday life and modern living, she seeks to involve people’s life experiences in her artwork. For example, by interviewing people and then transform their statements into a sensuous expression in video, sound and performance art. Among others Kortermand received the Danish Arts Foundation's three-year working scholarship in 2010. And H. C. A.’ s Audience Award in 2015 for the window performance “A Light in the Dark”. For the last 12 years she has performed in Denmark and abroad at festivals, museums, art centres, project spaces and public spaces.

Website: www.kortermand.dk ; www.nordicperformanceart.dk

Supported by: Nordic Culture Point / Short Term Network

Photo: www.kortermand.dk; Anna Maskava

Jan Egil Finne & Anette Friedrich Johannessen (Norway)

Time of Residency: February, 22 – February, 25 (2019)

Aim & Result of Residency: sharing of artistic experiences: masterclass, performance, artist talk (in collaboration with “Latvian Centre for Performance Art”).

About: Anette Friedrich Johannessen is a Norwegian artist also based in Bergen. She did her BA at Camberwell College of Arts (London), after educating from KiB art school (Bergen). She is a board member of Performance Art Bergen (PAB), and has coorganized and engaged in local and public performances on several occasions. She mainly works with Live Performance and Video art.

Jan-Egil Finne is an artist presently living in Bergen. He got his BA in 2016 from Bergen Academy for Art and Design. His main interest is in performance, sculpture and drawing. He is a board member of Performance Art Bergen, and is co initiating group performances in public space approximately every second month, together with Anette Friedrich Johannessen and Pavana Reid.

“The workshop “Open Session” will focus on sensitizing the body for the present moment. Developing more trust towards our spontaneous and intuitive body. We will also be exploring boundaries related to pain and boredom, the relations between repetition and perception and different ways of experience time,” tell artists.

Website: http://anettefriedrichj.tumblr.com/ ; https://www.instagram.com/jefinne/

Photo: Anna Maskava; http://anettefriedrichj.tumblr.com/

Torgeir Vassvik (Norway)

Time of Residency: November, 3 - November, 13 (2016)

Aim & Result of Residency: The main aim was collaboration between Vassvik Torgeir, Jordi NN (videoartist, Spain), Latvīte Cirse (kokle player, Latvia), and performance art group IDEAGNŌSIS. As a result - creation of multimedia performance “The Bearman”, based on Latvian and Sami music, as well butoh dance and other cultural references. As the central image of the performance and the main archetype of man as well for the Northern as Latvian culture is a Bear. Finally, it was a contemporary story about becoming the Bearman. The premiere was held in H2O6 Architecture & Media Centre in Riga. 

The project was organized by “Laboratory of Stage Arts”, The Culture Management Centre “Lauska”, supported by Riga Council programme “Creative Quarters”, RISEBA University, Norden Kulturkontakt Nord Mobility, New Media Art Festival I-WEEK, and hosted by MĀ TELPA.     

About: Torgeir Vassvik is a professional Norwegian Sami musician and composer. Vassvik combines yoik and overtone singing with drumming, traditional instruments, and nature sounds. His music is often described as powerful, dreamy and innovative, delivering a unique experience to the listener. Vassvik performs in a quartet format, and has created a band based on material from the two CD’s "Sáivu" and "Sápmi" and newer pieces. This venture has been very successful and he has performed a series of concerts and festivals in France, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Japan, Germany, England, Sweden, Russia, Siberia (Tuva), Belgium, Iceland, Hungary and Norway. 

Website: http://vassvik.com/
Project website: http://lauska.lv/en/lacuvirs/
Video  documentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXaPiJJWkos
Photo documentation: FB Mā telpa Artist Residency

Time of Residency: July, 10 – July, 31 (2017)

Aim & Result of Residency: The Residency was focused on research work, creation of a new solo piece. The first week was dedicated to improvisation with materials connected to memory work, specifically around the sensory-memory of the body. Week two was established the key elements from the research to be used an access-points into physical material, that will be transformed by the body into dance. Week three was dedicated to the flowering of the piece. As a result Ady made work-in-progress presentation of his new solo in the form of performance – discussion “If we don't heal we stay wounded”. As well, there was three days masterclass “Instant Composition” and regular morning classes for local dancers. 

The Residency was supported by Israeli Embassy & the Latvian Culture Capital Foundation, as well produced by “Laboratory of Stage Arts” and hosted by MĀ TELPA. 

About: Ady Elzam is a professional dancer, teacher and choreographer, with a deep technical background in contemporary dance, improvisation and performance. Ady believes art should challenge and inspire, both the artist as well as the spectator. As a preforming artist, he’s motivated to cross borders and question the norm in relation to the audience. He trained at the modern dance academy in Haifa and continued to dance in Vertigo Dance Company and DeDe Dance. 

For many years Ady has been exploring movement dynamics in partner work, his main interest is in the communication that creates clear understanding between partners, as if no words are needed. This applies also to the relationship of the observer and the observed. As a performer, he’s interested in the artist’s ability to expose oneself, evoke emotion in the audience, and the connection between the two.

Website: http://adyelzam.com
Photo documentation: FB Mā telpa Artist Residency

Oki Kano (Japan)

Time of Residency: October, 31 – November, 12 (2017)

Aim & Result of Residency: Oki Kano, together with famous Latvian kokle player Laima Jansone and performance art group IDEAGNŌSIS did collaboration, based on investigations on Ainu and Latvian culture. Also Oki toured with solo concerts as in Latvia as Lithuania. As a result, there was a performance/work in progress based on Ainu and Latvian stories as the first stage of the project. The project was supported by The Japan Foundation, produced by The Culture Management Centre “Lauska” (Latvia) and hosted by MĀ TELPA. 

About: Oki Kano (加納 沖 Kanō Oki) known professionally as OKI, is an Ainu Japanese musician, from Kanagawa Prefecture.  After graduating in crafts at the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music, he moved to New York in 1987, where he worked as a special effects artist on film productions. He returned to Japan in 1992, and was presented with his first tonkori - the traditional stringed instrument of the Karafuto Ainu. His contemporary approach, which fuses Reggae, African and Electronica with Ainu folk melodies, has won praise, not only in Japan, but also worldwide.

Discography:
Kamuy Kor Nurpurpe (1996) / Hankapuy feat. Umeko Ando (1999) / No One's Land (2002) / Dub Ainu (2004) / Tonkori (2005) / Dub Ainu Deluxe (2006) / OKI Dub Ainu Band (2007) / SAKHALIN ROCK (2010).

 Website: http://www.tonkori.com

Photo: FB Mā telpa Artist Residency
Video documentation: https://www.facebook.com/100001143815262/videos/1575262442521868/