The “Blumbergs Foundation” generously introduces the people of Liepaja to the creative heritage of an outstanding personality – in 2020, an extensive exhibition of I. Blumbergs’ works was on display in the gallery “Romas dārzs”.
This time 65 works of art from three cycles are exhibited. “These works fit extremely well in our space, which is not so self-evident,” says Baiba Bartkeviča, the artistic director of “Big Amber”, emphasizing that Ilmārs Blumbergs is an iconic value in Latvian art, whose works reflect on philosophical and existential themes.
Entering the art space, the bright series of large-format paintings “I will not die” is addressed first, it is a series of self-portraits. “The works have been exhibited very successfully,” says I. Blumbergs.
“Rarely has it been possible to display such a large series physically, because a long wall and a retreat space are needed to cover the series as a whole.”
The cycle was made 10 years ago and was first exhibited in 2013 in the exhibition hall “Arsenals”. The Liepaja exhibition is only the second time that this cycle has been shown to a wider audience. The works in the exhibition are also included in the book “I Will Not Die” published in 2013, which is the largest edition of the artist’s recent period.
The trip to Spain started with a long-term acquaintance with August Sukuta, the host of the Arsenals Film Forum. “When August retired to live in Spain, they often met there, and Blumberg himself regularly traveled to live in Spain. This is his last serious series of paintings, in which you can feel inspiration from Spain – with agave, the theme of a bullfight and a bull, an element of Spanish culture – the mythical duend story, ”says I. Blumberg.
The cycle of works of art of a completely different character and shape is “Rain is raining, rain is raining! It’s raining! Buy pictures. Buy pictures. Buy pictures! ”. The author focuses on the life and work of the legendary Latvian artist Voldemārs Irbe (1893–1944). “Irbe’s art is pure art,” said I. Blumbergs, “it is not a weapon, a social medium or an expression of power.”
The son does not know why Irbe, not someone else. There was someone in 2009-2010 year, when with the drawings of Irbe’s theme, Blumbergs participated in an exhibition in Tallinn, and then, developing this theme, made a series of mixed-technique 3D works, featuring both personally drawn Irbe and quotes and articles about him, photos and various objects glued to the pictures. There are references to Irbe’s work style, his legendary running barefoot in the snow, to coal, which was Irbe’s favorite tool, ”says I. Blumbergs.
The third group in the exhibition is works created in a mixed original technique, which combines screen printing, acrylic, pencil, charcoal, photography and other techniques. This includes the Atlantis series, which was made more than 25 years ago and was first exhibited in 1996, as well as the Van Gogh Chairs series. The art of original techniques has become a particularly recognizable page of I. Blumberg’s work and is also included in several public and private collections.
The exhibition will be open until April 3.
