NEXT 2025: ‘Chronosphere’ Lesia Vasylchenko

Lesia Vasylchenko’s solo exhibition Chronosphere in the Riga Photography Biennial—NEXT 2025 program

The speculative notion of a “chronosphere” is the conceptual framework of Lesia Vasylchenko's first solo exhibition in Riga. Chronosphere, a constellation of interconnected works, explores the intricate interplay of temporal scales, ranging from the microtemporal — such as remote sensing of planetary surfaces and computational cycles — to the macrotemporal, including ecological trauma and the nuclear age. The exhibition extends this exploration of time to the context of the current war in Ukraine, uncovering how war disrupts, ruptures, intersects with, and reshapes the temporal fabric of human and more-than-human existence, embedding itself in personal and collective time.

Taking as a starting point Eduard Suess’s concept of Earth’s envelopes and Volodymyr Vernadsky’s notion of the Noosphere — the “sphere of human thought” — the Chronosphere represents an additional layer where time itself becomes a medium of interaction. Historical narratives, cultural artefacts, and the scars of systemic inequities form the foundation of the now, while technologically predicted futures unfold in response to these legacies.

The Chronosphere encapsulates the dynamic interactions between scales of time, highlighting how individual experiences are interwoven with planetary infrastructures and visionary technologies. It builds on Vasylchenko’s call to rethink the temporal dimensions of contemporary existence, urging us to move beyond linear narratives into a realm of interconnected and simultaneous temporalities. It invites viewers to navigate the continuum of time, uncovering the intimate and often invisible threads that bind us to one another and the world around us.

Lesia Vasylchenko (UA/NO) works across a range of media, including video, photography, installation, and curation. In her research-based practice, she explores encounters between visual cultures, media technologies, and chronopolitics. She is the founder of STRUKTURA. Time, a cross-disciplinary initiative for research and practice within visual arts, media archaeology, literature, and philosophy. Vasylchenko holds a degree in journalism from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and in Fine Arts from the Oslo National Academy of the Arts.

She has recently exhibited at the Pochen Biennial for Multimedia Art (Ex Oriente Ignis), the Munch Museum’s Triennale (The Machine Is Us), and the Henie Onstad Triennale for Photography and New Media (New Visions). She was awarded the Sandefjord Kunstforening Art Prize in 2023 (Norway) and has been nominated for the PinchukArtCentre Prize 2025. Her work is part of the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma / Finnish National Gallery in Helsinki, Finland.

Participant: Lesia Vasylchenko (UA/NO)
Curators: Inga Brūvere (LV), Marie Sjøvold (NO)
Scenographer: Inga Brūvere (LV)

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About the gallery

Exhibition Hall “Riga Contemporary Art Space” is a multifunctional exhibition hall dedicated to promoting contemporary art in Latvia.  Exhibition Hall not only provides space for visual art exhibitions but also supports the development of contemporary art by organizing discussions, lectures, and workshops. Riga Contemporary Art Space focuses on experimental and conceptual projects that push the boundaries of art and challenge the viewer’s perception. It serves as a dynamic platform where contemporary art is presented in diverse forms – from painting and sculpture to installations, video art, and performances.

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About the Riga Photography Biennial

The Riga Photography Biennial (RPB) is an international contemporary art event focusing on the analysis of visual culture and artistic representation. The term “photography” in the title of the biennial is used as an all-embracing concept that encompasses a wide range of image-making practices which continue to shape and expand the lexicon of contemporary art in the 21st century.

The Riga Photography Biennial—NEXT offers visibility and a platform for early-career artists, helping them introduce their work to broader audiences and international contexts. RPB—NEXT 2025 runs from 24 April to 6 July and features a wide-ranging program of exhibitions and educational events.

More information: www.rpbiennial.com

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