Artis says:
“Whenever Sig (Zigfrīds) called me from one of his many phone numbers, I first opened my calendar and only then answered the phone. Sometimes the call was just to check in or chat with a friend, but mostly it was a very brief question — when could we organize a concert? Often it happened at the last minute…”

Sig cared about Artis by saying:
“How is Artis doing — he is a busy drummer! He has a big family to feed!”

Artis always found time to play with Sig (Zigfrīds).

About Artis Orubs:
Artis Orubs is a talented Latvian jazz drummer who has expanded his knowledge beyond Latvia’s borders. He has studied at Emīls Dārziņš Music School, Utrecht and Amsterdam conservatories, and later returned to Latvia to study at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. His talent goes beyond classical jazz — he is also engaged in composition and production. Artis has played with many well-known Latvian and international musicians, holds the position of lead drummer in the Latvian Radio Big Band, and teaches at the Jazz Department of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music.

About the Exhibition ““Nomadic Cinema””:
The exhibition offers insight into the works of Sig (Siegfried Debrebant, Latvianized as Zigfrīds), a French-born composer, musician, film director, and world traveler. Although Sigs’ sudden death last autumn drastically changed the process of creating this exhibition and likely the way we perceive his work, the exhibition stands as a manifestation infused with his ideas and presence. The exhibition features the film KinogammA I&II, an ecstatic masterpiece capturing the world, and photographs taken during his travels, which serve both as a complement to Sigs’ cinematic worldview and as an artistic exploration of human existence and the mysteries of the world.

Sig (1973–2024) premiered his first feature film Louise (take 2) in the official selection of the Cannes Film Festival in 1998. He went on to make six more feature films in various locations around the world, including Riga, take One (2017, filmed in Riga). These films were successfully shown at prestigious international festivals such as Cannes, Rotterdam, and Sundance. His feature film Bengali Variation (2022), filmed in Calcutta, was also screened at the Riga International Film Festival. Siegfried composed music for all his films as well as for films by other directors. As a musician under the pseudonym Sig, he collaborated with famous artists including Ivry Gitlis, Erik Truffaz, Steve Lacy, Le mystère des voix bulgares, Thomas Bangalter, Vladimir Volkov, Lewis Pragasam, Joy Frempong, and Latvian musician Artis Orubs. He performed solo piano concerts with philharmonic orchestras from Russia, Ukraine, and Bulgaria and released numerous music albums. His last concert was held on the stage of Kaņepes Culture Centre in August 2024.

Tickets are available at “Biļešu Paradīze” box offices and online at www.bilesuparadize.lv, as well as at the box office of the “Riga Contemporary Art Space.”

The exhibition and concert are organized by the Riga City Municipality cultural institution association “Riga Contemporary Art Space” and supported by Riga City Council, Kaņepes Culture Centre, and lab4art.