The World’s Tallest Crown and Other Stories Brigita Stroda’s crown exhibition at Robert’s Books

Robert’s Books unveils a new exhibition of art The World’s Tallest Crown and Other Stories by Brigita Stroda on October 22nd at 18:00, as part of its growing commitment to engage with wider forms of storytelling.

The exhibition The World’s Tallest Crown and Other Stories, on view from October 23rd to November 29th, 2020, features Brigita Stroda’s eclectic stories told through quirky assemblages in the shape of crowns – a genre that Brigita calls micro-scenography. Whilst Brigita’s crowns are usually seen at weddings, on concert stages, and hanging in the windows of design stores,  on this occasion, you’re invited to take a closer look at the hand that sculpturally writes these works. A Shakespearean king and a collector of fragile Soviet Christmas trinkets lurk behind  the bookshelf from a very obvious opinion about the nature of democracy. Well aware that it’s the most concentrated focal point we have, Brigita is not content to use the head merely as her stage. She consciously imagines neural networks as the framework for her constructions and at times, visualizes thoughts that have simply “come out of the head”. These triggers and impulses can be poetry, politics, and the opera, but also secrets, confusion, and whimsy. This is just a taste of the stories Brigita has woven into her bead-work, notes she has drawn in wire, and personas she has built-in tulle.

Robert’s Books is a haven for minds in reference searches, thought symposia over espressos, and the joy of the hunt for lost paperback treasures. With an eager eye for the detail in the making and the appreciation of the words that build the stories, the space was a natural choice for Brigita’s first solo-exhibition in Riga, curated by Laima Ruduša.

The reality of the last weeks has shaken us all up, but culture can adjust to the new reality. Due to the increase in the spread of Covid-19, face masks or shields will be obligatory. The opening will have a limited attendance capacity. The Bookshop is cozy and small and following the current guidelines, will host max. 10 people at a time. However, Robert’s books has an outdoor terrace where we will serve Glühwein allowing you to await a safe moment of entry for a guided tour with the artist and curator. The outdoor courtyard will be limited to 20 people at a time, so we kindly ask you to RSVP with your arrival time between 18:00-20:00 by messaging Robert’s books on FB.

Born in Melbourne, Brigita Stroda has lived in Latvia for 27 years. Trained as a scenographer, Brigita spent most of her life in arts management before finding the right “stage” for her work although it didn’t have a name.. Since the first story in the Latvian edition of L‘Officiel, she has been extensively featured in the Latvian media from numerous newspaper and magazine articles (IR Brīvdiena, IR Nauda, Dienas Bizness, Ieva, Santa, Precos and Līgavām.lv) to features in popular magazine format TV shows. An ever-increasing demand for Brigita’s crown exhibitions in regional Latvia (Cēsis, Kuldīga, Liepāja and Valka), guest lectures and workshops in Latvia and abroad (Berlin, Brussels, Luxembourg, Vilnius, Tartu) naturally followed. The gorgeous images of her crowns for the extremely popular group “Tautumeitas” ensured her work was recognized by the general public. Most recently her work was featured in an exhibit as part of the “Tuvplāni” exhibition at the National History Museum in Latvia. Her crowns can be purchased at RIIJA and Mūsmāja in Riga, Edmond a Venise in Venice, and Gallerie Hilde Leiss in Hamburg. Brigita has been called a crown-maker, and even a “crown magician” as per the group “Tautumeitas”*, but let it be known, she has many talents: she’s an illustrator, stand up comedian, and inventor of the singing bicycle.

Robert’s Books is an English bookshop, open to the public 11:00 – 22:00 Monday-Friday, 12:00-20:00 on Saturday. Dzirnavu iela 51, in the courtyard.

More about Brigita Stroda:

Instagram:  Lastroda

Facebook:  Crown Heads of Europe