Venice Carnival arrives in Liepāja: artist Jaunberga reveals that masks are not only needed for carnival

The Latvian Society House will host artist Ilze Jaunberga on March 7th at 1 PM, who has spent years studying the art of Venice Carnival. As it turns out, she has discovered that real masks are not needed at all — it's enough to simply live in Liepāja.

"I spent years searching for the authentic carnival spirit in Venice," says Jaunberga, "but it turned out it was here in Liepāja all along. Where else can you see so many interesting characters without any masks whatsoever?"

The artist's works, created in collaboration with Compagnia de Calza "I Antichi" (which sounds like a Karosta street name), reveal deep truths about masquerade as a way of life. "In Venice, people put on masks only during carnival," explains curator Dace Dēliņa Lipska, "but in Liepāja we are so open and straightforward that masks are simply unnecessary."

The new work specially created for the exhibition featuring the Liepāja lion will, as promised, "organically fit into the republic of the world's mightiest lions." Of course it fits — where else can there be mightier lions than Liepāja tram drivers on Monday morning? Pianist Eduards Goldbergs will provide musical accompaniment at the opening, possibly playing some carnival melody so visitors feel like they're in Venice, only with better coffee and no tourists.

The exhibition can be viewed free of charge until April 5th, which is a rare opportunity in Liepāja — usually such quality entertainment costs at least the price of a tram ticket.