"Our Future in Paper Architecture." Review of the 8th Venice Architecture Biennale Next. Venice, Italy, September 8—November 3, 2002. Directed by Deyan Sudjic.
Published in Studija 26, no. 5 (2002). In Latvian only.
View the article on Studija magazine online archive.
The pavilion of Latvia at the 8th Venice Architecture Biennale: Castle of Light that presents the new National Library building designed by Gunnar Birkerts.
Organization: Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art
Commissioner: Arvils Asheradens
Architect: Gunnar Birkerts
Artists group Ma1z3: Linards Kulless, Una Meiberga, Simona Veilande, Voldemars Johansons
More about the pavilion:
“The theme and core of our exhibition is the project for the new National Library building by the outstanding Latvian architect Gunnar Birkerts. Although the first sketches had already appeared in 1989, the project has developed over time and the political decision to construct the building has only just been taken. In Latvia the new building has been called the Castle of Light or the Glass Mountain because of the recognizable allusions to images from Latvian folklore in its brilliant architectural form. The architect’s profound understanding of the Latvian essence is embodied in the building’s modern form and it has become a national symbol.We look upon the Castle of Light as the expression of the Latvian identity. The approach of the young artists’ group Ma1z3 is to play on architectural metaphors from various angles in space and from various points in time. “Expressive architecture”, says Birkerts, “the form expresses the content”, add the theorists. By thematising the semantics of architecture, the artists record the origins of symbolism.The body of the building will not only contain information technologies, but also behind its visible silhouette will be the unforgotten past. Looking at the Glass Mountain we think of light flashing along optic fibres but somewhere the feeling comes that we are home. Is it the pure Latvian form, or the ridges of a thatched roof, or a greeting to the spires of Old Riga across the Daugava? Birkerts does not offer the answers – from both the interior and the exterior, our National Library encourages us to find out. Yes, the exhibition will help you to perceive the library; I am sure that you will have noticed, heard and scented a part of Latvia.”
Image from the Latvian pavilion catalogue, available at https://dom.lndb.lv/data/obj/90244.html
Spread from the catalogue of the Latvian pavilion, available at https://dom.lndb.lv/data/obj/90244.html
Artists group MA1Z3. Image from the Latvian pavilion catalogue, available at https://dom.lndb.lv/data/obj/90245.html
Art critic Alise Tifentale in Venice. 2002.
Sketch by the architect Gunnar Birkerts. Image from the Latvian pavilion catalogue, available at https://dom.lndb.lv/data/obj/90225.html