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Broken Line

Medium: Photographed by 35mm camera on B&W film, all works are 27,5 inch x 18,4inch pigment prints
Statement: The work series ‘Broken Line’ is a visual investigation that is both autobiographical and documentary about the lost identity and the hopeless life of the last Soviet generation in Latvia.
Focus: For my parents EU exists only in screens of Television. After the collapse of Soviet Union in early 90s they never travelled out of Latvia because of miserable pension that enough to survive but not live. My parents were born in 1931 (father) and 1939 (mother). Their youth and active life has passed in the period of the Soviet regime in Latvia. In a peculiar way, their life symbolises that of many elderly people in Latvia and the entire post-Soviet space.
In the photography series ‘Broken Line’, I pictured my parents, relatives, friends, the rapidly changing Latvia environment and myself. It is important for me to perceive and reveal the links between individual and collective social experience and the way it is manifested in Latvian visual environment.
Context - Latvia
Latvia is a post-Soviet country and currently a member state of the European Union. It appears that no globally important events happen hear. There are no wars or global ecological catastrophes. However, people who live here witness one of the most prominent cultural identity crises in the world.
After 17 years of independence Latvia is still a small country that is economically and politically unstable, weakened by functionary corruption and bureaucracy. The reason for corruption and bureaucracy is not to be sought in inaccurate legislation but in the values and self-perception of the post-Soviet generation. After the collapse of the soviet regime, most of the industry that has been a significant source of employment collapsed as well. People lost not only their jobs, but also their savings because the Soviet rouble lost its value and the inflation of the first national currency reached 900% a year. Latvia is still a leading country in the world regarding the suicide statistics. Socio-economic situation is one of the most frequent reasons for suicide. Even now the economic situation in the country is crucially critical: Latvia in next 3 years will lone around 7,5 billion Euros from International Monetary Fund and EU. Consequently, maintenance of state hospitals, small schools (in next year are planed to close 150 schools in rural areas of Latvia) and police stations in the rural areas and small towns is no longer cost-efficient. For example, in September 2008, 180 intercity bus routes were cancelled because of their being unprofitable.

from series 'Home Sweet Home'

2006
C-print
50cmx50cm