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One of the values of the Presidency’s cultural programme is excellence; and it was again achieved by the four Latvian artists.
For the Latvian ice sculptors this year has started with success. Few days ago in the International Ice Sculpture Competition, the sculpture Rain Dog by Kārlis Īle and Mintauts Buškevics was awarded second place in the competition of 27 teams. The detailed and refined sculpture depicts a wet little dog who loyally follows its owner during a rainfall. The sculpture Mushroom Pickers by Maija Puncule and Ainars Zingiks portrays the beloved Latvian autumn activity in an unusual and humorous way. The sculptors received recognition from the judges and a consolation prize.
Rain Dog by Kārlis Īle and Mintauts Buškevics. Harbin, China, 2015, 2nd place
After receiving the first place in the Snow sculpture competition, the „captain” of the Latvian sculptors’ team, Kārlis Īle, explained: “There were 28 teams participating in the competition representing different countries; and for many snow sculpting is their strength. Technically-skilled are Mongolians, Yakuts and Japanese, whereas from the artistic point of view Italian, French and British teams are talented.”
To the question why the judges recognised the Latvian team as the best, the sculptor believed it was because of their choice to pull away from sophisticated technical capabilities. “I tried to avoid the mainstream approach to the ice and snow sculpture art which highlights decorations. The quality of your piece is not determined by laces or complex techniques but by the artistic message which emphasises the basic idea: to give the people experience which can be, first, intellectual, second, emotional and third – semiotic.”
The name of the sculpture is Internal Borders and its conceptual basis is the idea that there are different external borders in the world which we can or cannot cross. However, a more difficult challenge is every person’s internal borders which are harder to cross due to upraising, inherited archetypes, culture and most unusual preconceptions.
K.Īle on the sculpture created by the four artists: “It portrays a symbolic moment when the person is crossing their internal borders. It represents three stages: a person with their head down symbolising sadness, a head slightly tilted and a head up looking to the sky.”
Internal Borders by Kārlis Īle, Mintauts Buškevics, Maija Puncule and Ainars Zingniks
Each of the components has some elements of decorations. The first one features raindrops, the second one – waves and the third – grass shoots. “There’s no going up without first coming down. We wouldn’t be able to know what happiness is without experiencing sadness. The rain of sadness is over providing life to the ground. It is followed by contemplation which is symbolised by the small waves in the water. Because of the rain, beautiful shoots can grow and the person can lift their head up,” explains the artist.
Next week K.Īle along with his teammate M.Puncule will travel to Canada where another ice sculpture devoted to the Presidency will be created. It will take place in Ottawa in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in Canada and Winterlude winter festival. Afterwards the sculptors will return to Latvia to take part in the Ice Sculpture Festival in Jelgava.
Taking into consideration the previous success of the Latvian artists, their participation in the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival was included in the Presidency’s cultural programme. With the financial support provided by the Presidency, the four artists travelled to Harbin and proved to the world that Latvia is not only the nation of winter sports but also winter arts. The trip to China was sponsored also by Jelgava Municipality.
The goal of the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union is to present Latvia as a reliable partner in cooperation, a cultural tourism destination and a source of inspiration, top-class professionalism and cultural achievement. With around 200 events, the Presidency’s cultural programme is the most extensive worldwide presentation of Latvian culture in the last decades.
