Archive

CERAMIC LABORATORY [closing]

In the beginning of the IV International Ceramic Art Symposium CERAMIC LABORATORY in Daugavpils, no one could guess the content of the final exhibition of the symposium because ceramic art is usually influenced by many unpredictable factors, which often lead to the most unpredicted and sudden turns resulting in something different and maybe even better. The Symposium took place in Daugavpils for the fourth time, and this year it is the final event of the 1st Latvian International Ceramic Biennale, as well as a lyric introduction to the following ceramic events in Daugavpils.

PAUL HUXLEY. SIX DECADES

British painter, Paul Huxley (1938) has played a central role in British art both as internationally recognized artist and as a respected mentor. He taught at the Royal College of Art from 1976, and was Professor of Painting there from 1986 until 1998, when he became Professor Emeritus. He has worked as a visiting lecturer at Glasgow School of Art. His art work is to be found in important collections in leading international and British museums.

CERAMIC LABORATORY [opening]

Already for the fourth time, the International Ceramic Art Symposium CERAMIC LABORATORY takes place in Daugavpils.

EVRIM ÖZESKİCİ. CONFINED DIALOGUE

Jose Ortega Y Gasset’s quote: “I am I plus my surroundings; and if I do not preserve the latter, I do not preserve myself”, provides a starting point to my works. For they argue that the ‘surrounding and I’ may co-exist by creating an awareness of the environment. Environment is everything. Society, history, past, life, existence, emotion, soul… These are all the things that make me who I am. “Confined Dialog” is a reaction to the alterity and alterations, which in the meaning of ‘I and environmental consciousness’ lead to a miscommunication between societies.

MARTINSONS AWARD Latvia International Ceramics Biennale

The Martinsons Award – an art comeptition within a framework of the 1st Latvia International Ceramics Biennale held in premises of the Daugavpils Rothko Art Centre is a pulsing proof of vitality of ceramics art and a tool of its rebirth.

Marc Chagall. Dead Souls

The series of illustrations of Marc Chagall to the poem “Dead Souls” by Nikolay Gogol is a special chapter both in the artist’s work and in the illustration of the famous poem. Chagall began his work on illustrations for “Dead Souls” in 1923 commissioned by a well-known publisher and merchant Ambroise Vollard. By the beginning of 1926, 96 sheets of illustrations in the technique of etching, dry point and aquatint were completed. The first ones who saw the illustrations were French viewers. In March 1928, etchings were exhibited at the exhibition titled “Chagall, Gouache, and Illustrations” held in the gallery “Le Portique” in Paris. In the autumn of the same year these illustrations were presented to viewers in the Soviet Union – at the exhibition “Modern French Art”, which was held at the State Museum of New Western Art in Moscow.

LAURA GUOKE. IN LITHUANIAN VILLAGE

The journey full of many impressions started in 2015 and has continued up to now. Aim of the journey is to memorialize people residing in villages of the Northern Lithuania by various forms of artistic expression. One of the objectives of this project is to help a spectator to notice that in today’s world of intensive virtual social life, reckless hunt for success, and competition becoming more and more cruel, the stereotypes created by mass media of the people in rural areas living slightly different, more peaceful life are rather misleading. In summer months, while travelling through different villages, I met many interesting people, listened to many special and sad life stories.

GEORGI PACHKORIA. FEAST 7

Georgi Packoria was born in Tbilisi, Georgia. He graduated from the Faculty of Decorative Ceramics and Glass of A. Kutateladze Art Academy. Already in his first year he conceived the project "1001 Tea-Pot Like Sleepless Nights Scheherazade" and implemented it. It took 30 years. Currently, the artist is working on wine vessels, since wine-making traditions are closely linked to the ancient ceramics. Georgi Pachkoria regularly takes part in international symposia, he has arranged more than 17 solo exhibitions. In 1996, together with his wife and former classmate he created a children's school of ceramics "Clay hands", which is successfully operating to this day. In 2009, together with his colleagues Georgi Pachkoria founded "Clay Office" at the Academy of Arts. "Pottery for me - it's a way of life and the same need as air and water. A number of future projects are planned. We’ll see what happens. It's all in God's hands." Within the framework of the 1st Latvia International Ceramics Biennale Georgi Pachkoria participated in Residence at Ceramic Laboratory. Inspired by Daugavpils and Latvian nature and culture, the artist created unique ceramic artworks. In the exhibition "Feast 7" the works created especially for this occasion are being displayed.

ELEONORA PASTARE. MEDITATIONS

“Colorful day and night, colorful seasons. Dreams and reality. Everything we are facing at every particular moment, especially those little things that we probably notice in a different way than  others, or sometimes do not notice at all, is sufficiently important for a flight of creative thought and idea.

Aleksandrs Dembo. DARING

"... In a situation where you know that the world is full of art, daring is the only thing that is left... After all, the quality of art says it all." Aleksandrs Dembo. The valuable contribution of Aleksandrs Dembo to Latvian art, his advancement of graphic media, as well as his search of new forms cannot be overestimated. By varying the form and the content, as well as having a good knowledge of technical tools of graphic art and opportunities given by them, the artist has established his own artistic style, and with his works and his role model he has enrooted in his students a sparkle of not being afraid to dare and to break boundaries.