The project “POWER OF THE BODY” was envisaged as a multi-media exhibition based on artists’ socially critical and analytic view of the human body in our days, with an insight into the history of culture and civilisation.

There were seen 24 authors with 58 works. The authors which works are exhibited were specially invited to participate.
Participating artists: Anda Bankovska, Aigars Bikše, Ilmārs Blumbergs, Ēriks Bože, Andris Breže, Izolde Cēsniece, Evelīna Deičmane, Holgers Elers, Kristaps Ģelzis, Ieva Iltnere, Ritums Ivanovs, Ieva Jerohina, Frančeska Kirke, Līga Ķempe, Leonards Laganovskis, Dmitrijs Lavrentjevs, Dace Lielā, Līga Marcinkeviča, Jānis Mitrēvics, Katrīna Neiburga, Līga Purmale, Juris Putrāms, Krišs Salmanis, Oļegs Tillbergs, Juris Utāns.
Curator and author of the exposition - Inese Riņķe.

Exhibition was nominated for newspaper Diena Annual Culture Award 2006.

The language of human gestures and body has been more expressive than words since ancient times because it allows direct revealing of both ideas and feelings. People from show business and popular culture often use body language and gestures; most of pop music stars’ (Elvis Presley, Madonna, Michael Jackson) magic power over large masses of people is based on body language. It has always been a tool and means of propaganda in politics as well.

On the one hand, the body is made very individual; on the other, it is both universal and anonymous. Cult of the body has reached its peak in our days. Mass media reflect and adore the beauty of human body and turn it into fetish that rules the world, using both medicine and science to approach the ideals of the age. Plastic surgery of the 20th – 21st centuries manipulates the human body in all possible ways, supporting the individual’s control over his/her physical appearance and pointing towards hidden power to rule the world.

In our century the human body is used to impress the viewer more directly, reporting on natural cataclysms, terrorist attacks and victims of warfare. The attitude has changed with time in different cultures, returning to manipulations with the body practised by primitive tribes to mark the individual’s place in society and hierarchical status, show aggression or benevolence, and to subculture trends like punk movement, tattooing culture etc. These phenomena are reflected in contemporary art as well (brothers Chapmans, Orlando etc.). Body language of criminals using tattoos should be mentioned as a special phenomenon. The body reveals very much about the motives of human action, instincts and desires, and it is through the body how humankind strives to conceive of its ideal image.