Kristians Brekte - series "Svešās sejas"

Ink on photo, frame

13,5x18,5 cm (framed)

In Kristians Brekte's visual language, one can find references to Gothic and black metal subcultures, street art, religion, art history, and pop culture. Brekte is captivated by society's dark side and in his works, he explores concepts of death, suffering, sexuality, faith, and immorality. The thematic vandalism in the author's installations intertwines with formal purity and technical finesse, uniting sharply critical or revealing references and quotes within a recognizable aesthetic. This is also marked by the use of color, materials, light, and sound, which continually highlight Brekte's interest in deconstructing traditional art forms such as painting or sculpture, creating a departure from their classical understanding.

Kristians Brekte graduated from the stage design department of the Latvian Academy of Art. He was nominated for the Purvītis Prize for his series of works “Rīgas Madonnas” (2010) and won the title of "Best Foreign Artist Under Thirty-Five" at the international contemporary art fair Art Vilnius' 12. His works from the exhibition “Gastronoms” (2007) were included in the British publishing house Phaidon's catalog Younger Than Jesus (2009), which features the most outstanding young artists from around the world under the age of 33. In 2014, the publishing house “Neputns” released a catalog dedicated to the artist's creative work titled “Brekte” and in 2016, the most extensive exhibition of Brekte's work to date, titled “Arsenāls,” took place at the LNMM exhibition hall “Arsenāls.” Brekte is also a practicing scenographer. He has been lecturing at the Latvian Academy of Art since 2009.