Arta Raitum Showcases Her Fire Artistry
Arta Raituma, a Latvia fire artist, is stunning the audiences, as she creates art with fire and charcoal. She will host a workshop in Kochi on March 23. As a guest lecturer at the Latvian Art Academy, she has conducted fire art workshops and exhibitions throughout Europe and the US. The workshop is a chance for art lovers to engage with the pensive blend of Latvian fire art and Kerala’s traditional symbolism.
Courtesy – NOBA
Arta Raitum’s Art Style
Arta Raitum was born in Riga, Latvia. There, nature worship rituals inspired her. After finishing her advanced studies in painting, her mentor Mikkeli Fishers urged her to try unconventional techniques, fire for one. She brings this ritualistic play by using candles, matchsticks, and gas torches in her artistic creations. To her, fire is a creative medium and a ritualistic element, which is a common ground for nature worship in Latvia and Kerala.
The Fire Art Workshop in Kochi
Participants at the workshop at Aala, Mulanthuruthy, Kochi will craft images on plywood using fire and charcoal, exclusively utilizing organic materials. During an interview with Kadavanthra Girinagar FAM Production Company, Arta Raituma remarked, “The artistic process involves burning patterns into wood—each stroke of the flame contributes to the creation.”
Courtesy – Arta Ratiuma
She had met filmmaker-photographer, Prem Jyothi at an art exhibition in Portugal. Their collaboration led to the creation of the short film ‘Last Shadow.’ It was acclaimed at the Athens Digital Festival and the Kerala Short Film Festival.
Arta Raituma is fascinated by Kerala’s fire art rituals, such as Theyyam. She talks about the mystical nature, exclaiming, “There are strong cultural connections to fire in Kerala, and I am eager to experience them in person.” She also wishes to document these traditions in an upcoming film project.
About Arta Raituma
Arta Raituma, born in 1996, is a visual artist working across multimedia platforms. She examines the sublime aspects of nature, rites of passage, and threshold experiences. Her fire art is creative placemaking, that studies the delicate dynamics of invasive, co-dependent, or symbiotic relationships between urban environments, nature, and their residents.
Courtesy – Arta Raituma
Arta Raituma’s medium of choice is a subtle mix of wood burning and organic materials, though which she has made multiple site-specific installations. Furthermore, she integrates documentary photography and performance to craft a layered narrative that seeks to transform materials and viewer perception.
Image – The Structure of Fire (2019). Courtesy – Arta Raituma
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