Andrejs Grants
Encyclopedia
Andrejs Grants is a Latvian photographer and teacher
. He studied at the Latvian State University (1973–78), worked in the “Ogre” photo studio (1978–1988). From 1979 he is a teacher at the House of Technical Innovation in Riga, where he gained his reputation as an influential photography teacher of many Latvian contemporary photographers, film-makers and artists, such as Ritums Ivanovs, Arnis Balcus
and Gints Berzins. At "Ogre" photo studio he formed an informal group "A" with photographers Inta Ruka
, Valts Kleins and Gvido Kajons. Having influences by documentary photographers, such as Henri Cartier-Bresson
and Robert Frank
, group "A" used a reportage style to document everyday life of Soviet Latvia
, very often creating photographs full of criticism
. Andrejs Grants gained international recognition by collaborating with group "A" ideological leader Egons Spuris' widow
Inta Ruka
. Their project "Latvia: Changing and Unchanging Reality" has been shown internationally. Similar to Ruka's work, Andrejs Grants' main theme are the people in Latvia
. His photographs record a variety of Latvian people of different social levels, professions, nationalities, generations, people in their usual surroundings – in the city or countryside, at work or at home, in festivities or alone. In 2002 a monography "Andrejs Grants" was released by Neputns with a selection of his best work.
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
. He studied at the Latvian State University (1973–78), worked in the “Ogre” photo studio (1978–1988). From 1979 he is a teacher at the House of Technical Innovation in Riga, where he gained his reputation as an influential photography teacher of many Latvian contemporary photographers, film-makers and artists, such as Ritums Ivanovs, Arnis Balcus
Arnis Balcus
Arnis Balcus is a Latvian photography and video artist. Born in Riga, Latvia, Balcus lived and worked in his home town before moving to London, United Kingdom in 2004. He took an MA course on photography at University of Westminster from 2004 to 2005...
and Gints Berzins. At "Ogre" photo studio he formed an informal group "A" with photographers Inta Ruka
Inta Ruka
Inta Ruka is a Latvian photographer.Ruka received a scholarship of the Hasselblad Foundation in 1998, the Spidola Award of the Latvian Culture Foundation in 1999 and a scholarship of the Villa Waldberta in Feldafing in 2002...
, Valts Kleins and Gvido Kajons. Having influences by documentary photographers, such as Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography...
and Robert Frank
Robert Frank
Robert Frank , born in Zürich, Switzerland, is an important figure in American photography and film. His most notable work, the 1958 photobook titled The Americans, was influential, and earned Frank comparisons to a modern-day de Tocqueville for his fresh and skeptical outsider's view of American...
, group "A" used a reportage style to document everyday life of Soviet Latvia
Soviet Latvia
The term Soviet Latvia usually refers to the Latvian SSR, a Union Republic of the USSR from 1940 to 1991.It may also refer to other periods of communist government on the territory of present-day Latvia, e.g.:*the so-called "Iskolat Republic"...
, very often creating photographs full of criticism
Criticism
Criticism is the judgement of the merits and faults of the work or actions of an individual or group by another . To criticize does not necessarily imply to find fault, but the word is often taken to mean the simple expression of an objection against prejudice, or a disapproval.Another meaning of...
. Andrejs Grants gained international recognition by collaborating with group "A" ideological leader Egons Spuris' widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
Inta Ruka
Inta Ruka
Inta Ruka is a Latvian photographer.Ruka received a scholarship of the Hasselblad Foundation in 1998, the Spidola Award of the Latvian Culture Foundation in 1999 and a scholarship of the Villa Waldberta in Feldafing in 2002...
. Their project "Latvia: Changing and Unchanging Reality" has been shown internationally. Similar to Ruka's work, Andrejs Grants' main theme are the people in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. His photographs record a variety of Latvian people of different social levels, professions, nationalities, generations, people in their usual surroundings – in the city or countryside, at work or at home, in festivities or alone. In 2002 a monography "Andrejs Grants" was released by Neputns with a selection of his best work.