Vernissage: The Day Before You Came, Konstantin Zhukov

On Friday, September 18, Latvian artist Konstantin Zhukov opens his first solo exhibition in Sweden at Centrum för fotografi.

The exhibition takes its starting point in the atmosphere and depictions of everyday life found in the diaries of Kaspars Aleksandrs Irbe (1906–1996). The diaries, which constitute a unique document of queer history in the Baltic and Eastern European regions, portray Irbe’s life during the turbulent 20th century—from Latvia’s democratic period, through the Nazi and Soviet occupation, to the country’s regained independence.

Queer narratives, largely forgotten, censored, or omitted from Latvia’s history, form the foundation of Konstantin Zhukov’s artistry. The exhibition presents about ten images as thermal prints, reflecting on photography’s role as a witness and the state of Latvia’s queer archives. Alongside the photographs, personal ads from Latvian daily newspapers from the 1990s are also exhibited. By using his own photographs and facsimiles of newspapers, Zhukov connects the present with historical events and reflects on a time and place where few traces of queer life have been preserved.

Opening Reception September 18, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Welcome speech at 6:00 PM

The exhibition is supported by the Sweden-Latvia Cooperation Fund.

The exhibition contains images of a sexual nature.