Una Mjurka /LV/US/

“Conversations”

Rojas urban environment. (Selga street).

The idea for the “Conversations” grew out of a desire to create a piece of work with respect to the urban environment of Roja, as well as to collaborate actively with the people  who inhabitated this environment.

At the beginning of the project, random people in the centre of Roja were asked to briefly describe their associations with the city and write them down with their own hand. From the written down sentences and essays several words were selected that  created  a poetic  overal l message about this place made by Roja inhabitants and its guests. 

The simple, cobblestone or brick-like form symbolises the contribution of each individual involved in the project to the place. The profile of the form describes the interlocutors’ affiliation to this place. In particular, the generous curvature of the stones represents their active role in shaping the city. Contrary, the forms devoted  to the  guests of the town, summer rezidents have cavity in the middle part of the stones, indicate their desire to refresh and recharge themselves in this wonderful environment..

The words engraved on the surfaces, enlarged by computer to fit the format of the ceramic objects, preserve the authenticity of the handwriting of each of the interviewees. 

In the conclusion , with the help of several locals, eight ceramical objects were installed in urban locations (or close to), where the project participants met or interviewed. 

The location of the text near the land surface symbolizes a conversation with that place, when looking for a link between the land, environment and the individual.