Images of violence and sorrow are interspersed with bright red to symbolize anger and spilt blood. Photo by Didzis Melbiksis.

RIGA — How does it feel to experience discrimination? This is what 30 young activists/artists from Latvia, Germany and Italy try to show in the exhibition “Mainīgās Sejas” (“Changing Faces”).

Four narratives are told through photographs, installations and texts. The message is similar; people who actually are just like us are treated differently and unfairly in their everyday life. It can be your skin color, sexual orientation, gender or the fact that you are HIV-positive. The result is the same – discrimination.

“We wanted people to at least start asking questions about this issue,” Lauma Brīvība, “Mainīgās Sejas” project coordinator, told Baltic Reports. “Of course, some people come and say things like ‘come on, this guy is a black man, he is born to be slave’ or ‘homosexuality is immoral.’ But our aim is exactly to discuss discrimination and show them that tolerance is better.”

The exhibition is formed as four symbolic tunnels which have to be experienced one by one. More or less claustrophobic, with most pictures in black and white and question marks hanging from the ceiling, the exhibit has a simultaneously straight-in-the-face and subtle way of conveying the message of hope and despair from those who experience discrimination in today’s society. Here you will certainly not find statistical facts, the stories are rather personal and emotional.

The exhibit's message is often readily apparent. Photo by Didzis Melbiksis.

Not all of the tunnels have the light in the end. Perhaps it should be taken as a warning? That if we do not fight the discrimination, the future will not be as bright as we would like to see it? But one thing is sure – organizers of this exhibition will continue taking part in similar projects. Brīvība organized the exhibition as a volunteer, as did everybody else who is involved in the project.

“During last days before the opening some people were joining us spontaneously, helping to set it it all up and even doing last minute translation job,” tells Brīvība.

What will be the next project? She doesn’t know yet.

“But it will surely be better. I’m a perfectionist,” she told Baltic Reports.

The exhibition is open throughout October at the Dirty Deal Expo on Maskavas street 12. Entrance is free. The project is supported by European Commission and Youth Against HIV/AIDS organization.