NOBA Nordic Baltic contemporary art platform

The organisers of the most significant contemporary art exhibition RIBOCA have announced that RIBOCA 3, curated by René Block and titled ‘Exercises in Respect’ that was supposed to be launched in July 2022, will be postponed until the next year. “In response to the war in our region, we do not see it possible to open the third Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art this year."

The official statement says that “in times like these, to envision working towards an exhibition that was supposed to be a vast celebration of art, respect and togetherness feels inconceivable whilst heinous crimes are still being committed in Ukraine. We strongly condemn the Russian attack on Ukraine and are united with everyone who calls for an immediate end of the war.”
 
“As a contemporary art institution, it is our responsibility to provide a space where artists and the public can interact, engage in discussions, and reflect on our realities,” the statement continues. 

Therefore, together with artists, other art and cultural institutions, curators, and art professionals, we are initiating an open discussion to rethink the art industry’s place in the wider world.

“We must reconsider the validity of the biennial format in times like these. There must be a discourse on how the art world and biennials can influence and engage societies during periods of war and conflict. What kind of platform for expression and exchange do artists, curators, and our society need?”