CALLING ALL CULTURE VULTURES!
If there’s one thing that Latvians can be proud of, it’s their longstanding cultural traditions that have been carried down through the ages. Despite centuries of occupation and foreign rule, attempts to stamp out Latvian cultural identity failed.
Latvia is called "the land that sings", but it also dances, paints, and acts, among other things. Not only do Latvia’s traditions make it unique, but they can also be credited with helping to gain independence for Latvians from the Russian Empire in 1918, and also to regain independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Perhaps for this reason these traditions are celebrated more strongly and faithfully than in many other countries nowadays. Here is just a brief look at the many facets of Latvian culture.
The Visual Arts
Prior to the founding of the Latvian Academy of Art in 1921, most Latvian artists learned to paint, draw or sculpt in St. Petersburg or Moscow. One of Latvia’s most revered painters, Janis Rozentals, studied at the St. Petersburg Academy of Art in the 1890s, and helped to form the Gnome (Rukis) Group there, which promoted the idea of a Latvian national art. Typically hardworking creatures, but also often oppressed in folklore tales, the gnome was the ideal symbol chosen to represent their movement. This was the time of the Latvian National Awakening, when intellectuals known as New Latvians (Jaunlatviesi), sought to bolster their struggle for the economic independence of Latvia with the formation of a national culture. The idea was that if they could prove that the Latvian language was a rich and enduring one, as evidenced in a tradition of literature, this would serve as support for the right of Latvia to exist as a nation. These ideas carried over into the realm of art and culture as well.
Another notable Latvian artist worth mentioning is Vilhelms Purvitis, best known for his paintings of the Latvian landscape, and especially those covered in snow. Purvitis was not only the first rector of the Latvian Academy of Art, but also one of the most important directors of the Riga City Art Museum – the precursor to the Latvian National Museum of Art, as it is known today. His efforts to build the museum’s collection of Latvian artists have left a lasting legacy that can be seen on the walls of the museum to this day.
Janis Rozentals and Rudolfs Blaumanis Museum
See Rozentals’ own studio in the tower of this gorgeous art nouveau building, along with several of his paintings. The artist lived here from 1904–1915, and the writer Rudolfs Blaumanis was also a tenant here from 1906–1908. 12 Alberta iela #9 (entrance from Strelnieku), 5th floor (no lift) Open Wed.–Sun. 11–18; closed Mon.–Tues. Tel (+371) 6733 1641
Latvian National Museum of Art K. Valdemara iela 10a, www.lnmm.lv . Open Wed.–Mon. 11:00–17:00; Thurs. 11:00–19:00; closed Tues.
Music
Go to any Latvian party, gathering or outing, and you will invariably come across a group of people, at some point during the event, wrapped up in a folk song. It should come as no surprise, since there are over 300,000 of these folk songs, or Dainas, as they are called, to choose from. We know this because Krisjanis Barons travelled around the country in the late-19- th and early 20th century and catalogued them. He even built a special cabinet to house them. of the Mezaparks forest has to be heard, to be believed!
Krisjanis Barons Museum See the house where Barons lived and the famous Daina cabinet that he designed and made! 3 Kr. Barona iela, Flat 5 (4th floor – use the lift) Tel. +(371) 728 4265, www.baronamuzejs.lv Opening hours: Wed.–Sun. 11–18, Closed Mon.–Tues.
Literature
If you’ve ever stopped to wonder just who that stonyfaced thinker in Esplanade Park is, it is the man considered to be the greatest Latvian writer, Janis Plieksans. Known more commonly by his pseudonym, Rainis, he is recognized for his esteemed translation of Goethe’s Faust into Latvian, as well as several of his own works, such as the play Fire and Night (Uguns un Nakts) and The Golden Horse (Zelta Zirgs). His work has not only greatly influenced Latvian literary language specifically, but also the Latvian nationalist movement in general.
Latvian Writing Theatre and Music Museum This museum is not just piles of aged and yellowing manuscripts; there are interactive exhibitions on creative writing and literature, as well as the accoutrements and tools of some of Latvia’s most celebrated writers. 2 Pils Laukums, Mon. – Thurs. 9:15–17
Dance
Latvian folk dancing has its origins in the dances performed by the Baltic tribes that inhabited this region in the years before the Common Era. Like many folk dancing traditions, they were meant to be a way of socialising and getting to know one another, with lots of changing partners and mixing things up. And just in case the man was uncertain what he was getting himself into, the woman’s headdress revealed her marital status. To this day these dances are performed at festivals and holidays, most notably at the Midsummer (Ligo and Jani) celebrations, as well as at the song festivals.
Modern Cultural Life
If Dainas and skipping around in plaits and ribbons is not your thing, this country offers plenty in the way of modern forms of culture and entertainment. Just check out some of the cool, hip artist hangouts and you’ll see that young Latvians have made their way well into the 21st century as far as artistic creation is concerned.
The New Riga Theatre
If you want to catch a glimpse of Latvia’s upandcoming actors, Jaunais Rigas Teatris, or the New Riga Theatre, is the place to do it. As a professional repertory company, they offer innovative productions in both content and form. 25 Lacplesa iela . Ticket Sales Tel. (+371) 728 0765. www.jrt.lv
Cetri Balti Krekli
More colloquially known simply as CBK, this ultra-Latvian club and concert venue is the place to be on any Friday or Saturday night, when they offer live performances of the most popular Latvian rock and pop groups from the 70s, 80s, 90s and today. From Perkons to Tumsa and Autobus Debesis, this place presents the best that the Latvian contemporary music scene has got to offer. The best thing about CBK is that you can see Latvians of all ages hopping to the beat, appreciating the opportunity to hear some of their own rock music, in a country that is lamentably overrun by foreign music on the radio. 12 Vecpilsetas iela, Tel. (+371) 2868 8488. Club hours: Wed.-Sat. 21-5; closed Sun.-Tues. www.krekli.lv
Andrejsala
This bohemian hangout/concert venue/ artistic space won’t be around forever, as it stands on the site where they are planning to build the muchneeded Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art. For now, this tiny peninsula out on the Daugava River hosts outdoor concerts in summer, allnight art exhibitions, and short film festivals, plus a Museum of Latvian Naļve Art. It is a great place to go to see what the budding young artists of the country are getting up to.
Andrejsala is located on the banks of the Daugava, near the "quiet centre" of Riga. The best way to get there is to take tram No. 11 to "Ausekla iela" and walk north until you see the big "A" sign. www.andrejsala.lv
