Page 4 - MyAmerica_Gordon_F_Sander

European nation in 1998, so too is Latvia after emerging from its own far more
arduous “Soviet time.” This exhibit, which also coincides with Latvia’s centennial,
is intended to celebrate that, as well as Latvian-American friendship, as well as
my own blossoming relationship with Latvija.

Fortunately, and blessedly, I have a much larger exhibition space to work with
this time—in effect, an entire building, or most of it, the building in question
in question being the magnificent, 59 year old revarnished and renovated VEF
Culture Palace in Riga.

My co-curator, the photographer Loreal Prysyaj, and I, have tried to take full
advantage of the opportunity, organizing the exhibit in semi-circular fashion,
as well as one which emphasizes the strengths of my oeuvre, while flowing GOTHAM
from East to West. Thus the photos of New York City and Cornell are mounted
in the ground floor Gallery area; then the visitor enters the Vestibule where
the “American Miscellany” -U.S. sans New York and California—and Portraits
are exhibited, before ending his or her journey on the balcony with the West
World collection. The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is in
some ways the city seen for the first time, in all its
Profuse thanks to Chad Twitty, the public affairs officer of US Embassy Riga promise and mystery and beauty.
for catalyzing the exhibit, including securing a generous grant from the U.S.
government. Ditto his marvelous colleagues, Sintija Jurgelane and Lauma - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Bruvele. I also am very grateful to Liene Kubilius and Sandra Zandberga, the
director and artistic director of the Culture Palace, for affording me the great
privilege of mounting My America 2 in their capacious house.
Everything in New York is a photograph. All the
I am deeply indebted to Dace Liga Saukuma, my creative associate and chief things that are supposed to be dirty or rough and
Latvian aide-de-camp for overseeing and expediting virtually every aspect of unrefined are the most beautiful things.
the exhibit, including the publication of this catalog. A heartfelt liels paldies to
Linda Lukasinska and Māra Vulfa of NRG Art House, for designing it. Thanks, - Ann-Marie MacDonald, Fall on Your Knees
too, to my friend and fellow photographer, Loreal Prystaj, for helping me select
the ingredients for this pictorial bouillabaise, and serving it.

- Gordon F. Sander

Photo of me by Steven Albahari
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