Presidency guests to discover new interpretations of tradition in Latvian design

From Friday, 6 February, the Design Manifestation / Humanisation exhibition is on display at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Riga. The authors of the exhibition are convinced that guests of the Latvian Presidency will be particularly interested in the modern interpretations of national traditions in Latvian design.

The purpose of Humanisation is to demonstrate the variety and accessibility of design created in Latvia and to challenge old-fashioned ideas about design as a jet-set phenomenon by revealing its presence and potential in various everyday situations.

The basic idea of the exhibition is to display the various everyday scenes that people come across in their daily routines, be this at home, at work, or moving around. More than 130 design objects are arranged in six groups - WORK, HOME, MEAL, PURITY, MOVEMENT and CHILDHOOD.

“Nowadays the glamourous brands are not trendy anymore, but the smaller ones, the local ones, are. And Presidency guests could be particularly interested in things that are unique here, that have their roots here in local traditions, crafts and the local context,  says Ingūna Elere, one of the curators of the exhibition. She mentions the BLOOM stool by designer Aldis Circenis as one example that demonstrates this total interpretation of tradition in modern design and that has gained international recognition.

The curators of the exhibitions (from left to right): Dita Danosa, Holgers Elers, Ingūna Elere, Barbara Ābele. Photo: Didzis Grodzs

Another of the curators, Holgers Elers, agrees that foreign visitors could be interested in national features such as the experimental use of local materials - clay and wood.

“Actually we are all craftsmen in our inner being. These skills are getting more and more recognition not only here [in Latvia], but also worldwide. If we can combine our craftsmanship with our knowledge as designers, we can create excellent products. And we have such examples here,  says Holgers Elers.

Elers also feels that guests could be interested in Latvian design objects that have gained international recognition: “This provides a measure that helps them to evaluate exactly where we are.  An exhibition displaying such design objects entitled Reputation is on display at the National Library of Latvia until 28 August.

Design-thinking coach and assistant professor at the Art Academy of Latvia, Barbara Ābele, emphasises that the Humanisation exhibition illustrates the democratic nature of design. It is characterised by accessibility - being open to children and disabled people - and by inquiry. Visitors need to immerse themselves, because the design can be clearly evident, but can sometimes also be deeply hidden.

Dita Danosa, Head of the Latvian Chamber of Fashion, assistant professor at the BA School of Business and Finance and also a curator of the exhibition, accentuates the desire to display not only the variety of design, but also its economic dimension. Not only can design facilitate the well-being of individuals, but it also contributes to the economic growth of the whole country as it belongs not only to the cultural sphere, but also to the business sphere.

The Humanisation exhibition will be on display until 29 March at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Riga.

Humanisation is the second of four contemporary design exhibitions organised under the joint title Design Manifestation . It is a unique project in the history of Latvia showcased in four interrelated exhibitions - Reputation, Humanisation, Information and Situation - that represent the country and its achievements in design over the last 15 years on such a large scale. The curators of the exhibition cycle are Barbara Ābele, Ingūna Elere, Dita Danosa and Holgers Elers. The idea is executed by the Design Bureau H2E.