Latvia | Culture | Facts About Latvians Worldwide

Philippe Halsman was born in Riga, the capital of Latvia on the 2nd of May 1906. He died in New York on the 25th of June 1979.

He was one of the most significant photographers of the 20th century in the 40s to the 70s. Halsman was one of the great pioneers of experimental photography, motivated by a profound desire to push this youngest of art forms toward new frontiers by using innovative and unorthodox photographic techniques.

His portraits in American magazines, to a great degree, created the impression of American society as one of prosperity, optimism and self-confidence.

In 1930 he moves to live in Paris where his portraits are printed in the Vogue, Vu and Voila magazines. His fame grows with his portraits of Andre Malraux, Paul Valery, Jean Painleve, Marc Chagall, Andre Gide, Jean Giraudoux and Le Corbusier.

In New York in 1941 he meets Salvador Dali and so begins a 30-year creative collaboration.

In 1942 he also begins work as a fashion and magazine photographer. In 1945 he is elected as the first President of the American Society of Photographers. He photographs the famous dancer Martha Graham and her company, and creates portraits of Albert Einstein, Salvador Dali, the French comic Fernandel, Brigitte Bardot, Henri Matisse, Anna Magnani and Winston Churchill.

And also J. F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Robert S. McNamara, McGeorge Bundy, Dean Rusk, Arthur E. Schlesinger Jr..

In 1969 he becomes Richard M. Nixon's official photographer. In 1970, the album "One-hundred the Life cover" is published. In 1975 he receives the American Magazine Photographers' association's lifetime achievement award for the development of photography.

Halsman's photographs can be found in many museums and galleries throughout the world.

Philippe Halsman exhibition at The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery

Florida's famous 'Coral Castle', the stuff of legend in the USA, is the work of one man. It was built by Latvia-born Eduards Liedskalnins ( Ed Leedskalnin).

Following an unhappy love-affair, he left for North America in 1912, and in 1918 moved to Florida in the USA. In Florida he created his first coral rock structures, which he developed over time into a monument to the beloved sixteen-year-old girl he had left behind in Latvia and whom he called his 'Sweet Sixteen' (she broke the engagement the night before their wedding).

In Waiting For Agnes and in A book in every home Ed Leedskalnin uncovers the mystery of his life.

Coral Castle is the finest example of massive stone construction. A study of the immense sizes and weights of the coral rock excavated, moved, and used in its construction establishes it as an authentic wonder of the world. Amazingly, the castle, incorporating about 1000 tonnes of rock, was built by Liedskalnins single-handedly, using equipment he constructed himself.

I have discovered the secrets of the pyramids, and have found out how the Egyptians and the ancient builders in Peru, Yucatan, and Asia, with only primitive tools, raised and set in place blocks of stone weighing many tons!
---Edward Leedskalnin

Contemporaries relate that Eduards created his stone figures by night and never allowed anyone to view the process, so legends circulated widely that he had discovered some secret allowing him to overcome the force of gravity.

The castle is the subject of rock star Billy Idol's best-known hit Sweet Sixteen " (1987), and has been included in the United States National Register of Historic Places.

"The Minox is my life."

-- Walter Zapp

In, the 1937 Latvia State Electrotechnical Plant (Valsts Elektrotehniska Fabrika-VEF) in Riga began production of the world's first functioning miniature camera , the VEF Minox , invented by Walter Zapp born in 1905 in Riga.

This was an entirely novel kind of camera, which, thanks to its simplicity and ease of use, not only promoted amateur photography, but also opened up completely new possibilities.

This miniature camera (17 x 27 x 80 mm, 125 g), without any additional equipment, gives a sharp, high-contrast image at a distance of as little as 20 cm, and the image can be enlarged up to 20 times without losing quality. With its 8 x 11 mm film, the camera also became an immediate favourite among secret agents, who praised its capacity for rapid and technically simple photographing of documents in excellent quality.

Although the Minox soon became known as the legendary Spy Camera , most have in fact been sold to ordinary, peace-loving buyers.

Get one for yourself, too.

Artist Mark Rothko, born Marcus Rothkovich in Daugavpils, eastern Latvia , is one of the world's best-known 20th century abstract painters. In 1913, just before the outbreak of the First World War, he emigrated with his family from the territory of Latvia, then under Russian rule, to live in the USA.

Rothko has made a very original contribution, saturated with mythology, to such movements in painting as
Abstractionism , Expressionism , Surrealism , and is regarded as a pioneer of Abstract Expressionism.

In his lifetime, he became one of the best-known painters in the United States. His work is displayed at the

Guggenheim

Metropolitan Museums in New York City

the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C

the Tate Gallery in London Mark Rothko

as well as museums in Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Canada and Spain.

Read more about Mark Rothko

Linen - fabric or yarn made from the fiber of flax was cultivated for Centuries in Latvia and locally used in bedlinen, towels and dress fabrics.

With the fashion for natural living nowadays Latvia linen and fabrics have become highly appreciated inland and abroad.

Worldwide Latvian linen are known mostly due to Studio Naturals - a small company, owned and directed by the textile designer Laima Kaugure , and has specialised itself in the design and production of high quality linen to be used in a lot of contexts as interior design. (Hotel Bergs the linen furnishings were hand-woven by Kaugure).

The linen is woven from natural flax fibres, which is a natural resource in Latvia. The Studija Naturals is thereby continuing a centuries-old tradition for making linen of flax in Latvia. This tradition, and heritage, is something that Studija Naturals is very conscious of; all production of the linen is handmade, woven on big wooden frame looms.

Italian fashion house Armani uses and shows products from Studija Naturals as part of its own collection under the Armani Casa label. Kaugure's linens are popular also with the fashion designer Calvin Klein.

Nothing consents you to stay cool in hot summer day as linen clothing and warms as woolen clothing in chilly weather.

Check out a casual yet stylish collection of classic linen clothing for women and wool clothing for women.

Sir Isaiah Berlin is one of the world's most significant liberal philosophers of the XX century. He was born in Riga, spent most of his life in Great Britain and earned world acclaim with his powerful and sophisticated discourse and interpretation of liberalism and his brilliant display of extraordinarily incisive mind and sparkling style.

His essay Two concepts of liberty 1958 left an essential impact on the development of the liberal philosophical thought: his discrimination between positive and negative liberty was the point of departure for further theoretical discourse on significance and value of political freedom. It remains one of the most read and interpreted texts of liberal philosophy. Later works by Berlin caused noteworthy response with their idea of pluralism of the human nature, behaviour, ambitions and values. They have become a source of inspiration and further research for numerous other philosophers.

Learn more about Isaiah Berlin.

Who has never heard about The Adventures of Baron Munchausen? I still love to re-read the book. Isnt there a Muchausen in everyone?

Karl Friedrich Hieronymus, Freiherr von Munchausen (11 May 1720 - 22 February 1797) was a German baron who in his youth was sent to serve as page to Anthony Ulrich II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and later joined the Russian military.

He had married Jacobine von Dunten in Pernigel near Duntes muiza in Latvia.

World knows Baron Munchausen for his exceptional and outrageous tales about his The adventures

Mikhail Baryshnikov was born on January 27, 1948 in Riga. He has attended Riga Choreography School. At the tender age of 15 Barishnikov entered Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) Vaganov Choreography School and joined the Kirov in 1967, where he quickly became one of its leading artists.

During Kirov Opera and Ballet Theatre tour through Canada in 1974, Baryshnikov decided to stay in Canada and later moved to USA.

Baryshnikov became one of the distinguished American ballet dancers. Baryshnikov joined the American Ballet Theater between 1974 and 1978, then during 1978-79 worked with George Balanchine's New York City Ballet, and became the director, soloist and artistic director of the American Ballet Theatre from 1980 to 1989. During this period, Baryshnikov directed the production of 'Nutcracker', 'Don Quixote', 'Cinderella' and 'Swan Lake'.

In 1977, the dancer made his American film debut in, 1977 The Turning Point the most successful ballet-themed motion picture since The Red Shoesin 1948. For his down-to-earth acting as much as for his unquestioned dance skills, Baryshnikov received an Oscar nomination.

Additionally, he starred in the 1985 film White Nights, in which he played a ballet star who'd defected from the Soviet Union only to be kidnapped back into his homeland.

Followed by That's Dancing!

He played also Carrie Bradshaw's (Sarah Jessica Parker) boyfriend, Aleksandr Petrovsky, in the last season of Sex and the City.

Baryshnikov has participated in numerous popular TV programs. He is a winner of the Emmy Prize.

Nonetheless Baryshnikov, in discussing his career, summarized his experiences in a comment he made to Gennady Smakov , author of Dancers." "Great Russian Dancers"

The dancer said, "No matter what I try to do or explore, my Kirov training, my expertise, and my background call me to return to dancing after all, because that's my real vocation, and I have to serve it."

As is the case with most dancers, the most effective documentation of Mikhail Baryshnikov is the photograph. Most books focusing on him are in the category of photo albums attempting to illustrate his work through freeze-action shots.

Baryshnikov at Work which is edited and introduced by Charles Engell France, features many photographs of the dancer by Martha Swope The same editor and photographer collaborated on Baryshnikov in Color ;

Other books on this artist include: Bravo Baryshnikov! by Alan LeMond, with photos by Lois Greenfield; Baryshnikov on Broadway with photos by Martha Swopeand an introduction by Walter Terry; The Making of a Dance: Mikhail Baryshnikov and Carla Fracci in Medea photographed and edited by Thomas Victor, with an introduction by Clive Barnes; Baryshnikov in Russia by Nina Alovert.

Baryshnikov ended his stage career in 2002. Following his retirement from classical ballet, he joined forces with the choreographer Mark Morris to found the White Oak Dance Project" in 1990, using his celebrity and the undiminished splendour of his dancing to bring modern dance to new audiences around the world. For White Oak he has commissioned new works from Taylor, Tharp, Lubovitch, and Robbins, among others, while reviving works by Holm, Graham, Limón, and Cunningham; he also oversaw the revivals of key works from Judson Dance Theatre.

He has recently received two Honorary Degrees; on September 28, 2007 from Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University, and on May 11, 2006, from New York University.

The story of Riga would be different without Sergei Eisenstein - the beloved film director and creator of the new, unique language of cinema that strongly impacted the development of the cinema as visual art.

The distinguished director, script writer and art theoretician was born January 22 of 1989 in Riga , but his path led to Petrograd and Moscow.

His father, Mikhail Eisenstein , was one of the most famous Art Nouveau architects in Riga.

- Strike(1924),

- Battleship Potemkin (1925)

- October (Ten Days That Shook the World) (1927)

- Alexander Nevsky (1938),

- Ivan the Terrible, Part One, 1945

- Ivan the Terrible, Part Two, 1946/1948

Are 6 films shot by Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein that truly shocked the world.

1930. Eisenstein started to shoot a documentary Que Viva Mexico

1932. Stalin ordered his return to the Soviet Union. Eisenstein was loyal to the ideals of the Communism and returned to Moscow. The material shot in Mexico was cinematized in 1933 in New York under the name "The Thunder over Mexico" without participation of the author.

The life of Eisenstein in the Soviet Union during the Stalin era was not easy - his fame and influence in USSR increased and decreased proportionally to the success of his films in the world. Eisenstein died February 11, 1948 in Moscow.

In the memoirs, Sergei Eisenstein states that he has been a Rigan all his life.

American artist Vija Celmins was born in Riga on the 25th of October 1938. She has received world wide recognition with her paintings and graphite drawings of starry skies. Areas of work: painting, graphics, installations.

In 1944, the family goes into exile to Germany where they live in a Latvian displaced persons camp in Esslingen. In 1948, together with her parents she immigrates to Indianapolis in the United States.

Since 1980 Vija Celmins lives in New York. Primarily a painter of still-life and landscape, artist is a major international figure associated with 1960s Pop art.

Her unique, technically impeccable paintings and drawings choose as their subject matter impossible imagery': from exploding planes and burning house from her childhood memories in wartorn Latvia; to vast natural landscapes such as open seas, deserts and night skies; to undefinable spaces like the LA freeway; and natural objects, including desert rocks and spider webs.

Vija Celmins works can be found in many museums and galleries in the United States , including The Museum of Modern Art, The National Gallery, Washington, The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, The Metroplitan Museum and also in the Centre Pompidou Paris, where a major retrospective of the artist is being prepared for opening at the end of 2006.

Artist Vija Celmins has been awarded the 2009 Roswitha Haftmann Prizereal , reports Swissinfo.

The $139,000 prize went to Celmins for outstanding artistic achievement in different media.

"The artist has a masterly and uncanny way of exploiting widely differing artistic media to the utmost advantage for her creative purposes," said the foundation's press release. Celmins used oils and charcoal in earlier works portraying a world destabilized by war and a photogravure technique in later pieces focusing on nature.

The foundation awards prizes every one to three years on the basis of the outstanding artistic significance of an individual's work. The winner is selected by a board that includes the directors of the Kunstmuseum Bern, the Kunstmuseum Basel, the Museum Ludwig in Cologne, and the Kunsthaus Zurich.

To buy the poster search for Ocean With Cross #1, 2005 Print By Vija Celmins in

Buy Posters at AllPosters.com

Inita and Vitauts Straupe are amongst the best-known of Latvian jewellers and authors of unique handcrafted jewelry

They make copies of ancient Latvian, Baltic and Scandinavian silver jewelry using traditional motifs and symbols for their up-to-date designs.

Many of Inita and Vitauts designs are in the collections of such well-known people as

Latvian ex-president Vaira Vike-Freiberga

Hillary Clinton

Finland's president Tarja Holenena

Denmark's queen Margareth II

Ireland's president O.Grimson and his wife

leader of the band Mumij Troll and others.

Click here for handcrafted jewelry

Made in Latvia exclusive handmade Silver and Bronze Bracelets.

Mariss Jansons is widely regarded as the most outstanding conductor at the beginning of the 21st century born Riga, Latvia. He graduated with honours from the Leningrad (St Petersburg) Conservatoire, continuing his training in Vienna and Salzburg.

Jansons began his rapid ascent on the steps of his career in music in the early 1970s, winning the International Herbert von Karajan Foundation Competition in Berlin. Already in 1973, the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra invited Jansons as conductor.

In 1979, Jansons moved to work in Norway, where until 2000 he was Musical Director of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Under his leadership, the orchestra attained world renown.

Since 1997, Jansons leads the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in the United States, and in 2003 he was invited to become Chief Conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Jansons has been a guest conductor for all of the world's best-known orchestras and has received various international awards. Leading record companies have recorded outstanding classical music with Jansons as conductor.

His reputation is particularly strong as a conductor of great twentieth century symphonic classics, including composers such as Bartók , Honegger , Prokofiev , Rachmaninov , Weill, Sibelius and Gu Mahler .

His recording of Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad" with the Leningrad Philharmonic won an Edison Award in 1989.

Konstantin Raudive Latvian psychologist and parapsychologist who spent many years investigating electronic voice phenomenon involving electronic tape recordings of voices allegedly belonging to dead individuals, which has been popularly known as Voices of the Dead - Raudive voices.

Konstantin Raudive was born in Latvia in 1909. He left Latvia when the Soviet Army invaded the Baltic and absorbed Latvia in 1945. With his wife, Dr. Zenta Maurina he lived for a time in Sweden, later moving to Bad Kroningen, Germany, near the border with Switzerland.

Starting in 1965, Raudive and his wife devoted themselves to investigating this phenomenon of paranormal voices manifesting on tape recordings, later assisted by Swiss physicist Alex Schneider and various engineers.

More about Konstantin Raudive.

Dr. Zenta Maurina is Latvia born distinguished philosopher, writer, essayist, translator, doctor of philosophy (1938). She is a laureate of the National Award of the World Federation of Free Latvians (1969).

Zenta Maurina together with her husband Konstantin Raudive left Latvia when the Soviet Army invaded the Baltic in 1945.

Unfortunately hardly any of her books are translated in English (they are mostely in Latvian and German). But here is one A prophet of the soul. The book helps you better understand the spirit of Fedor Dostoevsky and his works. If you like his works you are going to love Maurina's book.

Latvian Aleksandrs Ziemelis - the Brazilian Tiger Man.

At the time of the First World War, Aleksandrs Ziemelis (known as Sasha Siemel) emigrated from Liepaja (westernLatvia )to Brazil.

Here he became a jungle researcher, guide, photographer, documentary film cameraman, writer, journalist, animal catcher (for zoos and circuses) and a professional jaguar-hunter. Jaguars were doing a great deal of damage to Brazilian stock-rearing, and at that time, there was only one acceptable means of solving the problem-to reduce the number of jaguars. He is Considered by many to be the greatest hunter that ever lived.

Siemel became world famous as the only known white man to hunt jaguars with the spear and the bow and arrow, since firearms were difficult to use in the tall grass of the Brazilian wetlands (the Mato Grosso).

World attention was focussed on Siemel from 1931, when books were written about him, interviews and articles appeared in the press and magazines and finally a documentary film Tigrero was made as well.

Siemel became known as the 'Tiger Man' (jaguars are known as 'tigers' in Brazil). He himself also wrote books describing his adventures in the Brazilian jungle. Tigrero! and, Jungle fury.

Sasha and his wife Edith co-wrote the book "Jungle wife,an accounting of family life in the jungle.

If I was a child I would love to play with wooden toys. And You?

They are so unique, so genuine. Today's passion for organic and healthy lifestyle can't be imagined without them. Your children deserve to play with handmade organic wooden toys.

Mischa Maisky born in Latvia is a one of the world's most acclaimed virtuoso cello players. Maisky has studied with Mstislav Rostropovich at the Moscow Conservatory whilst pursuing a concert career throughout the Soviet Union. He also studied for a time with Gregor Piatigorsky in Los Angeles.

Rostropovich has lauded Mischa Maisky as "... one of the most outstanding talents of the younger generation of cellists. His playing combines poetry and exquisite delicacy with great temperament and brilliant technique." He currently lives in Belgium.

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