Karlis Bergs (1990) is a Latvian photographer, based in Los Angeles. Currently he is an MFA candidate at California Institute of the Arts. Previously, he has studied photography at Andrejs Grants master class and the ISSP School(2011-13). After, He spent a year studying in The school of Art Institute of Chicago(2014) and then transferred to Brighton University(2014-16), UK for his BFA.
In his work, he tries to explore what makes us humans; he is after portraying that unexplainable link that makes us all connected. From his first series “Between the Lake and the Sea” where he explores the importance of community and its influence on surrounding nature, to “What Hath God Wrought” where he is showing all the elements that allow us to be connected no matter where we are. To his latest series "The Clouds, They Were Blown From a Far Away Land" where he is portraying that unexplainable urge, that we all feel to explore the unknown and that is pushing the humankind to new frontiers endlesly.
Solo exhibitions:
2018 "They Clouds, They Were Blown From a Far Away Land" Riga, Latvia
2018 "What Hath God Wrought" Latvian Museum of Photography, Riga, Latvia
2013 "Between the Lake and the Sea" Engure, Latvia
Group exhibitions:
2018 [Upcoming] "Mūsdienu mākslas galerija" Līvāni, Latvia
2018 Selection of Latvian photography books, Photobook Week Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
2018 Tbilisi Night of Photography, Georgia
2018 20 best screenings of this year’s Nuit de l’Année, Arles, France.
2018 Night of The Year, Les Rencontres des Arles, projections, Arles, France.
2018 "Without Too Much Thinking" Room9, Riga, Latvia
2017 Efti, Plurar, 10 Latvian Emerging photographers, projections. Madrid, Spain
2017 Odesa// Batumi Photo Days Festival projection of contemporary Latvian photography, Odesa, Ukraine.
2016 Cream Graduate Showcase, Brighton, UK.
2016 Pingyao International Photography Festival, Shanxi province, China.
2016 University of Brighton Graduate show, Brighton, UK.
2016 Ryerson Brighton image exchange, School of Image Arts, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
2015 Tallin Photo Month, "Photography books from Latvia", Tallin, Estonia
2015 ISSP summer school exhibiton, Kuldīga, Latvia
2015 "Where Are We", One Eyed Jacks Gallery, Brighton, United Kingdom
2015 "Shift", Brighton University Second Year Show, Brighton, United Kingdom
2014 Self Publish Riga, Shortlisted of 45, "Between the Lake and The Sea", Riga, Latvia
2013 Grayscale, The Kiernan Gallery, Lexington, VA, USA. Director's Choice Award
2013 Delhi Photo Festival, Evening Screening, Delhi, India
2012 Ping-Pong#8, Contemporary Creation from Latvia, Liege, Belgium
2012 "29 Latvian contemporary photographers Rādītprieks", Riga, Latvia
2012 “9 menesi” ISSP school final exhibiton, Riga, Latvia
Education:
2018 - California Institute of Arts, MFA candidate
2017 - 2018 Visual Comunication, Latvian Academy of Arts
2014 - 2016 BA Photography, University of Brighton, First Class Honours
2013 - 2014 School of Art institute of Chicago
Awards:
2018 Lillian Disney Scholarship
2016 Source photographic review graduate directory
2015 - 18 State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia Creative Grant
2013 SAIC Distinguished Scholarship