LABORATORY OF INFINITE DISCOVERIES

Two parallel lines never meet or intersect. These lines could also be science and art. It is only perspective that makes these lines tend towards one point on the horizon, one goal: to create an entirely new environment for experimentation.

The floating art centre NOASS combines visual art and science to create a project that reflects the current issues in ecological environmentalism and includes a perspective for the fusion and infinite interaction of several creative disciplines.

On 16 July at 18:00 at NOASS, AB dambis, the project’s launch event will take place.

The scientific and artistic part of the project is a process in which scientific research is directed towards achieving concrete results using a photobioreactor, while the artistic component of the project involves the use of spatial perspective research, which is a logical continuation of the exhibitions “Waters Tell – Daugava” and “Cosmic Migration”, previously realised by artists Krišs Zilgalvijs and Dzintars Zilgalvijs.

The main activity of the project will take place in a makeshift laboratory, exploring technology for converting phosphorus pollution into reusable biomass and further resource recovery (nutrients, energy, water) using microalgae. The scientific leader of the project is Aigars Lavrinovičs, assistant professor and principal researcher at RTU. The research uses a photobioreactor, which is one of the tools used by scientists from other space agencies and polar stations to sustain the life cycle of micro-organisms. The equipment used in the project was manufactured at Riga Technical University and designed by Mārtiņš Strods (design) and Arvīds Būmanis (electronics), research assistants at RTU WSBI.

After the opening on July 16, visitors will be able to see the exposition on Wednesdays (17.07, 24.07, 31.07, 07.08) from 15:00 to 18:00, as well as within the festival “Sculpture Quadrennial Riga 2024” from 15 to 23 August.

The project is supported by:

Artists Krišs Zilgalvis and Dzintars Zilgalvis, lead researcher Aigars Lavrinovičs, researcher Mārtiņš Strods, research assistant Arvīds Būmanis.

Organised by the Art Centre NOASS in collaboration with the RTU Water Systems and Biotechnology Institute (WSBI).

Supported by Riga State City Municipality and the State Culture Capital Foundation. Publicity supported by the Public Integration Fund.