You are cordially invited to this year's PORTRAITS Hellerau Photography Award Satellite! After the opening, the exhibition will be on display Wed & Thu from 4-7pm and at all www.blauefabrik.de events.

PROJECT STATEMENT

"Let's Get Sun-Kissed" is a surreal meditation on self-love, time and our connection to the environment. Based on the cyclical rhythm of the sun, the series explores moments of silent rituals - pauses that connect us to nature and offer us sanctuary in an increasingly chaotic world. These moments are not just acts of leisure, but affirmations of our presence that anchor us in something larger than ourselves.

Through playful distortions of urban life, the work creates a dialogue between reality and utopia, exaggerating the absurdities of modern existence - fast-paced, disconnected and yet always in search of deeper meaning. Set against the cultural and geographical backdrop of the Baltic States, the series reflects a story of transformation and resilience, drawing inspiration from the Situationists' critique of consumer culture and their call for a radical reorganisation of public space.

This work is not an escape, but an invitation - an invitation to rethink how we inhabit our cities, how we share spaces of joy and how we reconnect with nature and each other. The series continues to evolve, discovering new places and stories that question anthropological structures and imagine alternative ways of living - where the sun, the self and the collective experience of leisure come together in harmony.

BIOGRAPHY

Filips Smits is a Latvian photographer of the young generation. He has a Bachelor's degree in "Fashion Photography" from the University of the Arts London. Filips is a sought-after advertising and lifestyle photographer in Latvia and Europe. In addition to his artistic work, he creates a series of photographs with a utopian spirit and meaningful messages. In 2020, he was awarded Best Young Photographer in Latvia during Riga Photo Month and participated in the international photo exhibition Dīkstāve, organised by Riga Photo Month and displayed on JCDeceaux billboards throughout Riga.

The series "Let's get Sun-Kissed" started in 2022 and continues to grow. In 2025, she participated in the Rotterdam Photography Festival and received the Adwards XVIII Award for Creative Excellence in Riga, silver in the category "Craft: Photography".