Ummis and Lobelia
Evarts Melnalksnis, Ernests Valts Circenis, Katrīna Neiburga (Latvia)The Lobelia dortmanna, which is listed in the Red Book, requires extremely clean growing conditions. It has chosen Lake Ummis, surrounded by coastal forests, as its home, which is the clearest body of water in Latvia. To keep it clean, swimming is strictly prohibited in the lake during the summer.
The experimental contemporary music theater performance ‘Ummis and Lobelia’ is a poetic tribute to the unequal opposition between the autonomy of nature and the pressure of civilization. It also explores the reflection of human psychological states in processes of nature. Liminal situations that force us to peer into the abyss of consciousness. And hope, which, like the fragile lobelia flower, sometimes emerges and rises above the dark depths of consciousness.
The performance includes information from the study by Ādaži Lake researcher Uvis Suško, ‘Lakes of the Seaside Nature Park and Their Biological Characteristics’ (2019), the third part of Vizma Belševica’s poetry cycle ‘At the Lakes of Šakarva’ and terms from Astrīda Neimanis’ essay ‘Hydrofeminism or Becoming a Body of Water’ in the magazine ‘Tvērums. Ķermenis’ (Spring, 2024), translated by Sofija Kozlova and Toms Babincevs, information and photographs by researcher Līva Zolneroviča about the activities of the historical hippie community in the Ādaži area.
In order to preserve the fragile ecosystem of Lake Ummis, the swimming shown in the video footage of the performance did not take place in this lake. The production has made an effort to use reusable set design elements; most of the costumes and set design are reusable and will be returned to the owners or to nature after the performance.
Credits
Concept, dramaturgy: Evarts Melnalksnis
Composer, live electronics: Ernests Valts Circenis
Video artist: Katrīna Neiburga
Light design: Pauls Kvālis
Sound engineer: Krišs Veismanis
Choreographer: Vladimirs Goršantovs
Performers: Artūrs Čukurs, Dārta Liepiņa
Water dancer: Jeļizaveta Kalmikova
Nature experts: Marta Dieviņa, Uvis Suško
Flute, guitar: Alise Golovacka
Set designer: Inga Bermaka
Video assistant: Antons Grauds
Lake Ummis stunt double: Bolderāja quarry
The creators of the performance would like to express their gratitude for the support in its creation to Anda Baklāne, Inga Bermaka, Marta Dieviņa, Miķelis Grīviņš, Raimonds Kasparinskis, Vita Liberte, Kaspars Puķītis, Uvis Suško, Sandis Voldiņš, and Līva Zolneroviča.
The performance is a collaborative project between the associations Mākslas birojs and New Theatre Institute of Latvia. It is being created as part of the EU Creative Europe programme project The Big Green, in collaboration with Laidu Manor Residence, VVFoundation and Pāvilosta Artists’ Residence (PAiR), the Latvian Culture Capital Foundation, Riga City Council and the Society Integration Fund, with financial support from the Latvian state budget allocated by the Ministry of Culture and co-financing from the Ministry of Culture. The work is being carried out in cooperation with the Pierīga Regional Administration of the Nature Conservation Agency, SIA Saldūdeņu risinājumi and Institute for Environmental Solutions.
The Big Green is a European-level collaborative project involving organisations from the science and arts fields, based on the notion that culture serves as an instrument of social change, and that it is therefore the task of the cultural and creative sectors to promote the mitigation or improvement of the impact of environmental change.
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Accessibility
Partially accessible
The entrance to the venue is opposite the nightclub First and next to the store Spirits & Wine. At the entrance, there is a wide paved ramp leading to hangar-type premises. The venue is spacious but partially dark, which may make it difficult for people with visual impairments to find their way around. There are no specific seating areas – volunteers can assist in finding a suitable place to sit according to individual needs. There are no adapted facilities available. There is a large parking lot next to the building, but there are no specially marked spaces for people with disabilities.