National History Museum of Latvia and National Constitution Center (Philadelphia, U.S.)   project about civic engagement experiences in past and today has been approved

 National History Museum of Latvia together with the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, U. S. has received a grant to implement an international project “At the table: Connecting Culture, Conversation and Service in Latvia and the U.S.” The grant has been funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is administered by the American Association of Museums. A special program – Museums & Community Collaborations Abroad (MCCA) is made to further international cooperation between museums and promote more intensive communication between societies and museums worldwide. More than $145,000 have been assigned for the project. Important assistance for the Museum in Riga also is provided by the U.S. Embassy in Latvia.

 The aim of the project is to strengthen understanding about the importance of civic engagement in both societies – in the past and today – as well as to further dialogue between different cultures and ethnic groups within both societies in the U.S. and Latvia. In Latvia and the U.S., both institutions will actively cooperate with secondary schools and students will work on similar activities with their peers overseas. 

 In Latvia, the experience of the independence movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s will be researched by students as a world-scale example of the power of civic engagement and nonviolent resistance. Project participants also will investigate how the attitude against political processes and civic engagement has changed in the last twenty years since Latvia regained its independence. Students from Latvian and bilingual schools in Riga and other regions will communicate with the local leaders of the independence movement to record interviews and invite them to informal meetings. The project partner schools will be Riga 10^th Secondary School, Secondary Schools of Cultures in Riga and Lizums Seconday School.

 To underscore that civic engagement is not only important during periods of historical transformations, students also will implement service projects. During spring 2012, students from the U.S. and Latvia will visit their peers overseas to prepare a documentary that will reflect the importance of civic engagement in both a historical and current perspective in both countries.

 The project documentary premiere is planned for June 2012. The National History Museum of Latvia also will present a mobile exhibition prepared with help of the U. S. Embassy in Latvia. During the project, a new web-resource also will be prepared. The web page will serve as a drop-box and place for discussions about the project themes for students in both countries.

For more information, please contact National History Museum of Latvia or Public Affairs Office (contact information below).

Toms Kikuts,
Project Coordinator, History Department Researcher
Phone: 67356086

E-mail: toms.kikuts@inbox.lv

                                                          

The exhibition „Soviet Design for Everyday Life”

The exhibition „Soviet Design for Everyday Life” covers the period of time as of 1950s to 1980s and introduces everyday household items made in Latvia and Soviet Union.
Entering the exhibition visitors find themselves on an improvised street of Riga with stores in the windows of which merchandise, packing, style and accessories changes over decades can be viewed. Exhibits recollect memories of the first carpet sweeper your family bought and mixer that has the form of a space rocket or satellite Sputnik, as even everyday things had to promote achievements of the Soviet Union in the field of space exploration. Already in the 21st century the museum has obtained the first miniature radios produced by VEF (State Electrotechnical Plant) and Rīgas Radio rūpnīca (Riga Radio Factory) named “Gauja”, “Orbīta”, “Banga” and „Spīdola”, which are notable as regards the design that was created by Ādolfs Irbīte (1910–1983), as well as advanced technological solutions.
The window-cases of the store “Sakta” and Central Mall of Riga were created by prominent artists and became a trait of Riga’s image in 1960s and 1970s. A photo of the respective époque has been used in order to create a partial reproduction of a perfume shop window decoration. Popular perfumes of the brand “Dzintars” also have been exhibited: „Rīgas ceriņi” (“Lilac of Riga”) and „Zīlīte” (“The Acorn”) brands which were popular in Latvia for several decades.
The exhibition invites the visitors to fell the atmosphere of 1960s in the beach of Riga when in half an hour it was possible to go to Dzintari or Bulduri by train made in Riga. Few more minutes and visitors of the exhibition have arrived to the beach full of people. Sun is shinning and it is windy at the restaurant “Jūras Pērle” (“The Pearl of the Sea”) and new beach costumes can be viewed.
Design made in Latvia can always be distinguished by its originality. Goods created during 1950s combine usage of exaggerated ornaments and soviet symbols, as well as national motives. It is obvious that design of the époque has been affected by traditions of 1930s, usage of patterns of previously manufactured goods and skills of the old masters.
As of 1960s, the role of a designer increased in the production of goods. Features of modernism appeared, as did new materials both in the fashion and design industry, household items had concise, geometric shapes and minimally stylized decors.
Gradual downturn of the soviet economy in the end of 1970s and in 1980s affected quality and widely consumed products were produced in great numbers, however, even in the conditions of stagnation, products made in Latvia often had attractive visual appearance.
The exhibition demonstrates accomplishments of Latvian designers: radios made by VEF and Rīgas radio rūpnīca, porcelain made by Rīgas Porcelāna rūpnīca (Riga Porcelain Factory), “Līvānu stikls” (“Līvāni glass”) and “Latvijas stikls” (“Latvian glass”), factory of leather goods “Somdaris”, perfumes and cosmetics by factory “Dzintars” and production by confectionery factories “Laima” and “Uzvara”, motorbike, made in Riga motor factory “Sarkanā Zvaigzne”. Photos show electric trains, diesel-engine trains, tram cars and minibuses visible in photos.
Apartment interiors of 1950s and 1960s present the atmosphere of the époque.
Kitchen and housekeeping items have been represented richly in the exhibition.