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Spectropia, or "surprising spectral illusions showing ghosts everywhere and of any color," is a book of optical illusions by J. H. Brown, first published in 1864. In the book, the author used various optical illusions and the after-image technique, whereby a vivid image remains in the viewer's perception even after turning away from the object. 

The Latvian Centre for New Media Culture RIXC published a book with a similar title (2018), highlighting that modern society's myths overtake the vast spaces of the electromagnetic spectrum that science cannot reach. 

The exhibition "RETROSPECTROPIA" gives an insight into ghosts, myths, assumptions, and surprising turns of human imagination and emotions created by new communicative spaces created by various technologies, gathering works by 15 artists belonging to the Liepāja New Media artists community – unified from a distance.

In their works, the artists, participants of the exhibition, look back at the recordings of the past, capture and reveal to the viewer the myths and captivating phantasmagoric images they generate, making us pay attention to the fact that and how these existing recordings – especially due to the peculiarities of machine learning, which is relevant today - shape our future on a local, global, individual, family and community scale.

A strong, sustained interest in media art in the Baltic context is a unique feature of Latvian art. 15 years have passed since 2007, when the 1st year students started their studies in New Media Art in Liepāja, and the community of new media artists has grown quite large. The range of their technical specializations and thematic interests is equally wide – from video to sound art and experiments in augmented and virtual reality, challenging both the audience's perceptual mechanism and the technology's performance.

The exhibition is curated by Anna Priedola, Head of the MPLab and Head of the Bachelor's study program New Media Art. The State Culture Capital Foundation supports the exhibition. 

The exhibition "RETROSPECTROPIA" will be displayed at the Liepāja Museum, 16/18 Kūrmājas Avenue, until 30 July 2023. 

Please note that photography and video filming will be carried out during the exhibition opening. The footage will be used to advertise the event and the Liepāja Museum. By being in the event area, you acknowledge that you are aware of being included in the audio or visual material.

Publicity image: Liepāja University "Mentalities."

Anna Priedola,
Head of MPLab,
Head of the Bachelor's study program New Media Art at the Liepāja University 
Mob. Phone +371 2917 5201
E-mail: anna.priedola@liepu.lv