Last week, the Museum of Applied Arts and Design in Vilnius, in collaboration with the Latvian National Museum of Art, opened a major exhibition of the Latvian Jewellery Art Association, Touch-Sensitive. The exhibition examines contemporary jewellery by artists of different generations in the context of its owners, reflecting the relationship between jewellery, its makers, and wearers. The exhibition is on view in Vilnius until June 30.
Jurgita Ludavičienė, curator of exhibitions at the Lithuanian National Museum of Art, who is also the organiser of the international jewellery biennale Metallophone, suggested that the exhibition be shown in Vilnius after seeing it in Riga: «In Lithuania, we don’t often have the opportunity to see what is happening in the Latvian jewellery art scene. Touch-Sensitive offers a truly broad panorama of contemporary Latvian jewellery, bringing together the most influential artists. In addition, one of the main focusses of the project is the relationship between contemporary jewellery and its wearers. It is a holistic exhibition that includes not only objects but also video and sound. It is clear that the creators have put a lot of work into the exhibition— no wonder it has been so well received in Latvia. We hope that it will also attract a lot of interest in Lithuania.»
The concept of Touch-Sensitive is based on the stories of people, their jewellery, and its creators. The exhibition features original works by 23 Latvian artists, showing the wide range of styles from different generations, highlighting the development and continuity of the discipline. Visitors are invited to appreciate the diversity of contemporary means of expression, the creative experience of each designer, the distinct nature of jewellery, and the synergy of different materials.
The exhibited artists have made jewellery for doctors, diplomats, philologists, painters, lecturers, students, themselves, relatives, and colleagues. In addition to the original works, the exhibition also features portraits by photographer Mārtiņš Cīrulis, which reflect the visual dialogue between the jewellery and its wearers as an integral part of the overall image. The sound installation composed by sound designer Pēteris Pāss, which synthesises audio elements of the jewellery-making process, fragments of electronic music, and the wearers’ thoughts on the meaning of jewellery, adds an extra dimension to the exhibition. A dedicated catalogue, produced in collaboration with Arctic Paper Baltic States, provides valuable commentary for visitors.
«I would really like to see more of these exhibition exchange projects between the Baltic countries. I know that Lithuania has a good audience and interest in jewellery art thanks to the Metallophone international jewellery biennale, which has been organised since 2011,» Inese Baranovska, head of the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Riga, said of the cooperation with Lithuanian colleagues. She is delighted with the productive cooperation with the Latvian Jewellery Art Association and is very grateful to the Lithuanian National Museum of Art and its team for the opportunity to present the exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts and Design in Vilnius, further revealing the stories of jewellery and its magical appeal to Lithuanian audiences. Organisers of the exhibition are also grateful to their supporters and partners — the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, Arctic Paper Baltic States, and the Embassy of Latvia in Lithuania.
The exhibition Touch-Sensitive will be on display at the Museum of Applied Arts and Design in Vilnius until June 30. For more information, visit the museum’s website.
Viedokļi