NEW THEATRE INSTITUTE OF LATVIA

contemporary performing arts in Latvia and abroad

To mark the 30th anniversary of the International Festival of Contemporary Theatre Homo Novus, a bilingual volume – Homo Novus grāmata / The Book of Homo Novus – has been published in collaboration with Neputns Publishing House. The book can be purchased at the New Theatre Institute of Latvia office at Miera iela 39-2 (by writing to contact@theatre.lv or calling (+371) 26186631) or at the Neputns Publishing House gallery at Tērbatas iela 49/51, www.neputns.lv. Price – 30 euros. 

Book launch — December 15 at 6 p.m. at the Gallery “Istaba”, K.Barona iela 31b, Riga.

This bilingual publication brings together over 50 contributors — artists, creators and participants of the festival — who offer personal memories of Homo Novus, outline important theoretical themes, and envision the future of theatre in visual form.

Since its founding in 1995, International Festival of Contemporary Theatre Homo Novus has reshaped the course of theatre development and fostered a vibrant environment for international exchange within our theatre community. The Book of Homo Novus reflects on these achievements, gathering together the initiatives and ideas the festival has launched and continues to nurture within theatre and the wider field of contemporary art.

This book is not a memoir inviting readers to revel in past accomplishments. Rather, it positions three decades of experience as a lens through which to consider future trajectories. The interdisciplinary and international nature of Homo Novus has enabled Latvia and the Latvian language to enter broader dialogues on contemporary theatre and festival culture. The book addresses, among other themes, the festival’s role in the development of new theatrical languages, spaces, and audiences, as well as the ethical dimensions of theatre-making — subjects that have thus far been only marginally examined within Latvian cultural discourse.

This book brings together trends and creative paradigms that have, for various reasons, remained absent from existing publications on the history of modern Latvian theatre, where structure and emphasis are largely shaped by the dominant repertoire-theatre system.

It enriches Latvian-language theatre research terminology and maps the wider context in which contemporary performing arts take shape. The Book of Homo Novus includes previously unpublished texts and visual materials that look forward rather than back. In addition to theoretical discussion, the volume incorporates the festival’s quantitative and emotional archive — its testimonies, stories, and geographical trajectory.

Compiled and edited by: Gundega Laiviņa
Concept by: Zane Kreicberga, Pēteris Krilovs, Gundega Laiviņa, Santa Remere, and Laura Stašāne
Text by: Gigi Argiropulu, Inta Balode, Džonatans Barouzs, Beka Bergere, Lauris Bernāns, Kjāra Bersani, Daniels Blanga Gubajs, Silvija Botiroli, Krista Burāne, Cigans, Džej Džordan, Kirils Ēcis, Endijs Fīlds, Izabella Fremo, Lisa Džilardino, Helgarde Hauga, Satu Herala, Inese Immure, Marta Keila, Pēteris Krilovs, Linda Krūmiņa, Gundega Laiviņa, Sodja Zupanca Lotkere, Marija Luīze Meļķe, leva Moore, Oskars Moore, Tobijs Moore, Vija Moore, Eva Ņekļajeva, Ilze Olingere, Santa Remere, Smaidiņš, Laura Stašāne, leva Struka, Imanuels Šipers, leva Štro, Akira Takajama, Baiba Tjarve, Karu Treij, Henrieta Verhoustinska, Guna Zariņa, Henriks Eliass Zēgners
Literary editors and proofreaders: Raimonds Ķirķis and Juta Ance Ķirķis
Designer: Monika Grūzīte

The book is published with the support of the State Culture Capital Foundation.

 

 

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