The Embassy of Latvia, in cooperation with the School of Architecture and Planning of the Catholic University of America, invites everyone to the opening of the Latvian architecture photo exhibition and the presentation of the series of three books The Glass Mountain by the author and translator Mr Vilis Inde.
Thursday, January 18, 6:30 PM at the Koubek Auditorium, School of Architecture and Planning (CUA) (red metro line, Brookland-CUA station), 620 Michigan Ave., N.E., Washington, DC.
Opening of the exhibition “Building the State. Latvia 9C-21C. Destinations and Symbols of Latvia”
The photo exhibition will be opened by HE Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to the USA Mr Andris Teikmanis and the Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning Mr Randall Ott. The opening will be followed by a reception.
The exhibition features more than 100 photographs and annotations of the architecture in Latvia – rich with folk construction and order architecture by German, French, Swedish, Italian, Polish, Finnish and Russian architects and engineers.
The exhibition includes photos of the 9th century wooden dwellings, 12th century masonry buildings, Gothic and Baroque churches of the Hanseatic era, Catholic traditions in Latgale (region of Latvia), interwar period and modern buildings such as the Latvian National Library.
The exhibition invites everyone not only to the capital Rīga with its old city, Art Nouveau and wooden buildings (part of the UNESCO World Heritage List), but also the port cities Liepāja and Ventspils and the smaller towns Kuldīga and Cēsis. In the rural scenery, there are gems of folk construction and provincial churches. Photographs of the creations of notable architects are featured – Bartolomeo Rastrelli, Wilhelm Bockslaff, Eižens Laube, Marta Staņa, Gunārs Birkerts and others. (Adapted from Dr. Arch. Jānis Lejnieks )
The exhibition is open to everyone free of charge with no need of prior registration. It will remain open until February 23. The exhibition is accessible to persons using a wheelchair.
Presentation of the book series The Glass Mountain by Vilis Inde
There are three books forming part of The Glass Mountain. The first book Climbing the Mountain talks about the history of Latvia. The second book is an English translation of the play The Golden Horse by the poet Rainis. The third book The Castle of Light explains how the Latvian National Library by the American Latvian architect Mr Gunnar Birkets (January 17, 1925 – August 15, 2017) came into being from the idea inspired by the national mythology to the large structure resembling a glass mountain on the left bank of the Daugava River. There will be an opportunity to ask questions to Mr Inde after the presentation.
Program:
6:30 PM Book presentation by Vilis Inde
~7:30 PM Opening of the exhibition
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Latvia celebrates its centennial in 2018 in the period of several years – 2017 to 2021. The main message of the celebration is “I am Latvia” emphasizing that the greatest asset of Latvia is its people who with their work are creating present day Latvia and together with the next generation are setting the foundation for the future. The presentation by Mr Inde and the Latvian architecture exhibition are part of the public diplomacy program of Latvia’s centennial.