1. Artist Talks with Luise Schaller and Beatrice Ventura

    Presentation, Bolderāja, Avotu iela 29, Riga, 25.04.2024, 19:00

    Meet kuš! resident Luise Schaller and ISSP resident Beatrice Ventura. They will talk about their art and practices in the field of comics and photography.

    Luise Schaller is a Berlin based artist, working in the realms of narrative drawing, comic, poetry and painting. During her studies of illustration and fine arts in Berlin and New York City, she immersed herself in the independent comic and zine making scene, working on and publishing comics with poetic and auto fictional content. Drawing inspiration from literature, art and cinematography, experimental approaches to the relationship between image, word and the potential for meaning and narration are central to her work. Her most recent graphic narration „I didn’t want any flowers“ will be published in April 2024 with SofortBooks.

    Beatrice Ventura is an Italian photographer whose work develops from intimate themes and the relationship between man and the environment. She adopts a contemplative approach in which dreams, memories, and impressions merge. During her stay in Riga, Beatrice is working on her research project "Altered Green", which focuses on the dynamics of representing the plant world, using an experimental thermographic technique.

    Facebook Event

  2. All Means All

    Exhibition, Kalnciema Kvartāla Galerija,  Kalnciema Iela 35, Riga, 02.05.2024 - 31.05.2024


    In March 2024, German artist Michael Jordan held a comic workshop in Riga with the theme 'All Means All'. Under his guidance, the participants discussed what this means for them and created comic posters inspired by the talks. In the end, all the comics got copied and distributed, and the participants cut them up to create new comic collages all together.

    The results of this workshop by artists from Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Italy and USA will be exhibited at Kalnciema Galerija from 2 May – 31 May. Opening 2 May 18:00.

    The artists participating are Alberta Ziemele, Amanda Jēkabsone, Austėja Bukauskytė, Betija Jakaite, Carlo Carnevale, Dagnis Stikāns, Hadeer Ali, Jana Ribkina, Jonas Fischer, Jurijs Tatarkins, Karlīna Marta Zvirbule, Katrīna Sadovņikova, Katrīna Kovaļuka, Ksenija Tarasova, Lauma Lejēja, Madara Krēziņa, Ona Kvašytė, and Michael Jordan.

    The exhibition is organised by Goethe Institut Riga in cooperation with kuš! comics

  3. ComicInvasionBerlin

    Comics Fair, Museum of Communication, Berlin, Germany, 11.-12.05.2024

    Very happy to invade Comic Invasion Berlin again! Kuš! will be at the comics fair presenting and selling a wide array of our newest books. Latvian artist Līva Kandevica will be representing us there. Go, say čau!

  4. Ukmukfukk Zinefeszt

    Zine Festival, Közmű Közös műhely, Orczy út, Budapest, Hungary, 25.-26.05.2024

    Kuš! megszállja Magyarországot. Very happy to finally take part in the legendary Ukmukfukk Zinefeszt! Kuš! will be presenting and selling a wide array of our comic books. Latvian artist Jana Ribkina will be representing us there. Of course she'll also bring her own zines and prints, and if you ask her nicely, maybe she'll also tattoo some comic figures on your skin!

  5. Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC)

    Comics Festival, Columbus, USA, 26.-29.09.2024

    Kuš! is tabling at CXC!!! We'll be represented by our US rep Christopher Sperandio! He'll also bring a bunch of his own zines, books and posters. Don't miss!

  6. Past Events

  7. Comics and other emotions with Bim Eriksson

    Artist Talk, Norden office, Berga Bazars, Riga, 16.04.2024, 18.00

    Swedish comic artist and illustrator Bim Eriksson will give us an introduction to her artistic practice. Why did it take her four years to finish the dystopian graphic Baby Blue? How do you get your comic books translated into other languages? What’s it like to collaborate with two pop stars and why is it important to be able to wear your heart on your sleeve? Join us for a heartfelt talk about comics, world building and storytelling.
    Apart from meeting Bim Eriksson, we're also excited to share the book from our Ukrainian-Latvian artistic exchange project 'With a Little Help from My Friends'. After the talk, you can get a copy of it and celebrate with us with a glass of wine.
    Bim Eriksson (born in 1991) is a graphic novel creator, artist and illustrator based in Stockholm, Sweden. Eriksson made her debut in 2016 with the autobiographical graphic novel ”I felt nothing when my feelings died”, and hit it big with her graphic novel Baby Blue published in 2021, a dystopian story set in an almost Orwellian society where failure, grief and mental ill-health are banned. Baby Blue is published in six languages including Swedish, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Turkish, and with two upcoming publications in English and Portuguese.
    Free entry
    Organized by kuš! in collaboration with Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia.

  8. Comics Talks - Carnevale / Fisher / Ali

    Presentation, Bolderāja, Avotu iela 29, Riga, 20.03.2024, 19:00

    This month we have three residents! Come and meet Jonas Fischer, Carlo Carnevale, and Hadeer Ali! They'll talk about their comics and art practice and present their books and zines.

    Jonas Fischer has been drawing ever since he knew how to draw. Sometimes he draws for money, sometimes for himself, sometimes both. At Kuš he's drawing cityscapes and built environments and tries to piece them together into a narration of some sorts.

    Carlo Carnevale is an Italian writer, illustrator, journalist, puppeteer and playwright. He is best unknown for his book "Con affetto, Onica", an essay on diversity, deep inarticulate yearning and missing your friends, which appeared in 2022 under sentimental circumstances. He's been collaborating with Ultravioletto since its outset and currently works on cultivating a disquieting online presence.

    Hadeer Ali is a Brooklyn based illustrator and comic artist. Hadeer uses oil pastels and crayon to create intimate and nostalgic narratives.

    Illustration: Hadeer Ali

  9. Comic Workshop with Michael Jordan - OPEN CALL

    Comic workshop with Michael Jordan, 01.-03 March 2024, Goethe-Institut Riga, Riga, Application deadline 23.02.2024

    We are very happy to welcome Michael Jordan in Riga. From March 1-3, 2024 he'll hold a comic workshop themed "All Are All" at the Goethe-Institut.  

    The workshop is suitable for illustrators with an interest in graphic storytelling. As part of the workshop, we will develop the basics of comic drawing techniques and work intensively with the text and images. We learn about various aspects of sequential storytelling. The participants develop their own experimental 1-page comic using small interactive drawing exercises on the common theme “All Are All". The results will be printed and displayed as A3 riso posters after the workshop.

    Michael Jordan (*1972) lives as an illustrator, printmaker and curator in Erlangen. He studied media illustration in Hamburg, then printmaking at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. In 1999 he won first prize at the Fumetto International Comic Competition in Lucerne. In 2002 he was a UNESCO scholarship holder at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Since 2003 he has been a member of the artist group Tonto from Graz. From 2008 to 2010 he taught illustration at the HfG Offenbach and from 2013 to 2014 and in 2020 he taught drawing and printmaking at Middlebury College in Vermont, USA. In 2017 he was Styria Artist-in-Residence in Graz. In 2022 he was awarded the City of Erlangen's Culture Prize. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in Stockholm, Vienna and Berlin, among others. His comic “Why We Are Tired” (Avant Verlag, 2020) was published in French by Editions Fremok in 2023.

    Take Part:
    Participation is free! Places for the workshop are allocated through a selection process. Please apply by email to kushmens(at)gmail(dot)com with the following info:

     - Name, surname, age (18+), place of residence
     - Link to your own portfolio/blog/insta (alternatively three comic pages or drawings in low resolution)
     - Short letter of motivation (2-3 sentences)

    Application deadline: 23.02.2024, 12.00 (noon)

    Baltic Travel Grants:
    Two participants each from Lithuania and Estonia can apply for a travel grant of 50 euros to take part in the workshop in Riga. The same selection procedure applies as above.  

    Dates and Place:
    01.03.2024 (18.00- 20.00), 02.03.2024 (11.00-18.00), 03.03.2024 (11.00-17.00). Place: Goethe-Institut Riga, Berga bazars, Marijas iela 13 k-1, Riga, Latvia

    Organizers:
    The workshop is organized by kuš! in collaboration with Goethe-Institut Riga.

  10. Fumetto Small Press Heaven

    Small Press Market, Fumetto Festival, Lucerne, Switzerland, 09.03/10.03.2024, 16.03/17.03.2024

    Let's meet at Fumetto once again! kuš! will have a table at both weekends at the International Comics Arts Festival Fumetto in Lucerne. kuš! will be represented by it's editor David Schilter and by it's regular contributor König Lü.Q.

  11. Eagle Warrior: The Art of Julio Camarena

    Exhibition, National Library of Latvia, Riga, 27.10.2023-20.01.2024

    This exhibition explores the work of Mexican comic artist Julio Camarena Peréz, whose drawings were distinguished by their lyrical quality and volumetric style, setting them apart from the sometimes crude work of his contemporaries in 1970's Mexico. Original drawings, books (Micro Leyendas), and other paraphernalia make up this exclusive show of this long forgotten artist. There is also the chance to watch the acclained documentary short about Camarena, 'The Grotto of Death'.

    Curators: Christopher Sperandio, David Schilter

    Support: Produced with support from the Dean of the School of Humanities at Rice University, National Library of Latvia

    News coverage: La Jornada (MX)

  12. Comics Talks - Marcel Ruijters / Eric Kostiuk Williams

    Presentation, Bolderāja, Avotu iela 29, Riga, 03.01.2024, 19:00

    Starting 2024 with a bang! Meet Marcel Ruijters (NL) and Eric Kostiuk Williams (CA). They'll talk about their comics and art practice and present their books. After the artist talks, we plan to have also a comic jam.

    Eric Kostiuk Williams is an illustrator and cartoonist based in Toronto, Canada. His new book '2am eternal: a decade of queer nightlife posters + comics' was recently published by Secret Acres. He has contributed comics to NOW magazine, Dazed & Confused, and the Believer. He has also created murals, nightlife flyers, harm reduction campaigns, editorial illustrations, and music videos. Eric is an Eisner, Lambda Literary, and Doug Wright award finalist. http://www.kostiukwilliams.com/Eric Kostiuk Williams is an illustrator and cartoonist based in Toronto, Canada. His new book '2am eternal: a decade of queer nightlife posters + comics' was recently published by Secret Acres. He has contributed comics to NOW magazine, Dazed & Confused, and the Believer. He has also created murals, nightlife flyers, harm reduction campaigns, editorial illustrations, and music videos. Eric is an Eisner, Lambda Literary, and Doug Wright award finalist.

    Marcel Ruijters is the creator of more than 30 comics books, translated into numerous languages. His instantly recognizable ‘woodcut’ style is distinguished by flirting with the medieval visual tradition. He works also as an illustrator, translator, writer and editor at the Dutch magazine Zone 5300. His comics were exhibited in many exhibitions and festivals around the world, winning him numerous prizes and awards, among others the respectable ‘Best young artist’ award in Haarlems Stripdagen in 1992 and the Stripschapprijs in 2014.

    Illustration: Marcel Ruijters

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