# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Group exhibition ‘Colour as Message. Colour Photography Before the Digital and AI Era’
- **Event Start and End Date**: Tue, 28 Apr, 2026 at 12:00 pm – Tue, 28 Apr, 2026 at 06:00 pm (+03:00)
- **Event Description**: No 28. aprīļa līdz 29. maijam galerijā “Istaba” apskatāma grupas izstāde “Krāsa kā vēstījums. Krāsu fotogrāfija pirms digitālā un MI laikmeta”. 
📅 Izstādes atklāšana 27. aprīlī plkst. 18.00.
📌 Galerija Istaba, Krišjāņa Barona iela 31B, Rīga. Darba laiks: otrdiena–sestdiena plkst. 12.00–18.00. Ieeja bez maksas.

___ ENG
From April 28 to May 29, in the Gallery Istaba, on view is the group exhibition ‘Colour as Message. Colour Photography Before the Digital and AI Era’.
📅 Opening on April 27 at 18:00
📌 Gallery Istaba, Kr. Barona Street 31A, Riga. Opening hours: Tuesday–Saturday 12:00–18:00. Free entrance

📌 Vairāk | More: www.rpbiennial.com 

______________________________________
Mums līdzās visapkārt ir krāsaina pasaule, un viena no problēmām, ar ko nācās saskarties fotogrāfijas pirmsākumos, bija nespēja fiksēt apkārtējo realitāti tikpat krāsainu. Tālab fotogrāfiju kolorēšana – lai panāktu lielāku ticamības pakāpi vai piešķirtu attēlam māksliniecisku kvalitāti – tika ieviesta praktiski vienlaikus ar fotogrāfiskā procesa atklāšanu. Šādas manipulācijas ar roku parasti veica mākslinieki jeb fotogrāfi ar māksliniecisku izglītību. Tā katra fotogrāfija ieguva unikāla attēla statusu līdzīgi tam, kāds piemita gleznotam mākslas darbam. Taču daudzos gadījumos tika radītas daudz plašākas un dokumentāli it kā precīzākas iespējas realitāti arī papildināt, "uzlabot", tādā veidā mazinot vai pat likvidējot visas tās vizuālās nepilnības, kuras piemita konkrētam cilvēkam vai reālai vietai.

Par kolorētās fotogrāfijas zelta laikmetu uzskata periodu no 19. gs. beigām līdz 20. gs. vidum, kad plaši sāka izmantot krāsu fotogrāfiju. Tomēr interese par attēlu kolorēšanu saglabājās citā vidē. Tā piesaistīja daudzu mākslinieku interesi gan pasaulē, gan arī Latvijā, sniedzot papildu iespējas īstenot radošās ieceres. Nereti krāsa kļuva par vēstījumu, lai paustu savu protestu pret sabiedrības gaumi, politisko situāciju vai piešķirtu attēlam irreālu noskaņu. Būtībā tās arī bija manipulācijas ar realitāti, bet ar konceptuālu jēgu.

Attēla digitālā apstrāde un MI iesaistīšana fotogrāfiskā attēla apstrādē paver neierobežotas realitātes manipulācijas iespējas un vēl jo vairāk aktualizē jautājumu par ticamības pakāpi īpaši tad, ja "uzlabošanai" tiek pakļautas vēsturiskās fotogrāfijas. Jaunas tehnoloģijas sniedz jaunas iespējas, bet vairo arī riskus. Tagad ar attēla apstrādi var nodarboties gan profesionāļi, gan teju ikviens cilvēks, kas prot rīkoties ar tehniskām ierīcēm un tehnoloģijām. Tālab ir tik intriģējoši palūkoties atpakaļ pagātnē un iepazīties ar procesa pirmsākumu un attīstību, kad mākslinieki uzsāka manipulācijas ar fotogrāfisku attēlu, lai realitāti parādītu krāsainu līdz brīdim, kad krāsa kļuva par vēstījumu.

Izstādē tiks eksponētas nezināmu autoru kolorētās fotogrāfijas, kas datējamas, sākot no 19. gs. vidus, un ir no vairākām privātām kolekcijām, kā arī Latvijas mūsdienu mākslinieku Kristīnes Luīzes Avotiņas, Artūra Bērziņa, Valda Celma, Lilijas Dineres un Ata Ieviņa krāsu fotogrāfijas no autoru kolekcijām.

Dalībnieki: Kristīne Luīze Avotiņa (LV), Artūrs Bērziņš (LV), Valdis Celms (LV), Lilija Dinere (LV), Atis Ieviņš (LV)
Kuratore un teksta autore: Irēna Bužinska (LV)
Scenogrāfija: Ineta Sipunova (LV)
___
We live in a colourful world, and one of the problems faced in the early days of photography was the inability to capture the surrounding reality in equivalent amounts of colour. Hence, the colourising of photographs by hand – in order to achieve greater verisimilitude or give the image a particular artistic quality – appeared almost at the same time as the discovery of the photographic process. These manipulations by hand were usually carried out by artists or photographers who had received an artistic education. Thus, each photograph acquired the status of a unique image, similar to that possessed by painted works of art. Yet in many cases much broader and, from a documentary perspective, seemingly more precise possibilities were also developed to augment or "enhance" reality, thus reducing or even eliminating all those visual imperfections present in a specific person or an actual place.

The golden age of hand-colourised photographs is considered to be the period from the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, after which colour photography came into widespread use. But the interest in colourising images by hand survived in a different milieu even after that. It drew the attention of many artists internationally, as well as in Latvia, providing another opportunity to realise their creative ideas. Often colour became a means to express a protest against popular taste or the political situation, or to give an image an unreal mood. These were essentially also manipulations of reality, but with a conceptual purpose.

Digital image processing and the use of AI in the processing of photographic images open up unlimited possibilities for manipulating reality and further highlights the question of credibility, especially when historical photographs are subjected to "enhancements". New technology brings new opportunities but also increases the risks. Today, image processing is available to not only professionals but almost anyone who knows how to use technical devices and new technologies. Consequently, it is really intriguing to take a look back into the past and learn about the origin and development of this process, from when artists started to manipulate photographic images to render reality in full colour right up until the moment when colour became the message.

The exhibition will present hand-coloured photographs by unknown artists dating from the mid-19th century onwards and held in several private collections, as well as colour photographs by the contemporary Latvian artists Kristīne Luīze Avotiņa, Artūrs Bērziņš, Valdis Celms, Lilija Dinere and Atis Ieviņš, all of which are courtesy of their authors.

Participants: Kristīne Luīze Avotiņa (LV), Artūrs Bērziņš (LV), Valdis Celms (LV), Lilija Dinere (LV), Atis Ieviņš (LV)
Curator and text author: Irēna Bužinska (LV)
Exhibition design: Ineta Sipunova (LV)
______________________________________
Sadarbības partneri un atbalstītāji: Valsts kultūrkapitāla fonds, Rīgas valstspilsētas pašvaldība, galerija “Istaba”, tipogrāfija “Adverts”, “Rīgas Mākslas nedēļa”, Arterritory.com, Echo Gone Wrong, NOBA.
___
Supporters and partners: State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, Riga City Council, Gallery Istaba, printing house Adverts, Riga Art Week (RAW), Arterritory.com, Echo Gone Wrong, NOBA
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/riga/group-exhibition-‘colour-as-message-colour-photography-before-the-digital-and-ai-era’/200029978164718
- **Event Categories**: art, exhibitions, photography, literary-art
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 6

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Riga
- **state**: RI
- **country**: Latvia
- **location**: galerija ISTABA
- **lat**: 56.953924320399
- **long**: 24.126654893
- **full address**: galerija ISTABA, K.Barona 31b,Riga, Latvia

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: Group exhibition ‘Colour as Message. Colour Photography Before the Digital and AI Era’
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/f94bf33fd933188a85eb528699cb012b6234230869ad715888972c3831c3ed40-rimg-w1200-h628-dcffffff-gmir?v=1776915258

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is Group exhibition ‘Colour as Message. Colour Photography Before the Digital and AI Era’ being held?
  - **A:** Group exhibition ‘Colour as Message. Colour Photography Before the Digital and AI Era’ takes place on Tue, 28 Apr, 2026 at 12:00 pm to Tue, 28 Apr, 2026 at 06:00 pm at galerija ISTABA, K.Barona 31b,Riga, Latvia.
- **Q**: Who is organizing Group exhibition ‘Colour as Message. Colour Photography Before the Digital and AI Era’?
  - **A:** Group exhibition ‘Colour as Message. Colour Photography Before the Digital and AI Era’ is organized by Riga Photography Biennial.
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** Group exhibition ‘Colour as Message. Colour Photography Before the Digital and AI Era’ is ideal for art lovers, trade professionals, collectors, and exhibition enthusiasts exploring the latest in their field. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Riga, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Group exhibition ‘Colour as Message. Colour Photography Before the Digital and AI Era’ sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast.

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