This year, the Virtual Design Destination by Adorno will be the place to discover fourteen curated country collections of collectable design during the London Design Festival, featuring more than 200 exclusive pieces. The theme for this year’s first Virtual Design Destination by Adorno is “The New Reality”.
The identity of Latvian design can be summarized in three words: natural, emotional and authentic. Latvian design is deeply rooted in folk traditions, closeness to nature and the ability to find beauty in simplicity. The unique value lies in the thoughtfulness of the design and the permeating emotional story. The skills developed throughout the centuries to master the available natural resources – forests, fields and waters – form the basis of contemporary Latvian design.The source of inspiration for the collection is the sea. The sea is a solid part of the DNA code of Latvia as its role in our lives is invaluable. It evokes a sense of hope and a sense of future, an unpredictability, a passion, a wealth and a power. The sea has inspired us for centuries and it continues to inspire us today. It affects how we live, what we think, feel and create.
The curator of Latvia’s ”Near and Far – Be Dazzled!” explains that the collection manifests the synergy between man-made design and nature. It gathers outstanding Latvian designers of various disciplines and generations, united by the passion to discover new dimensions of material, as a result of endless experiments. All six designers represented in the collection offer a synthesis of original objects, visual effects and lights.
Artis Nimanis, unique art dish, collection “Sun & Moon”
Artis Nimanis opens the door to a journey through the world of magical glass with his glass objects.
“Dusk” Mirror by Sabine Mezkaze Berzina
Sabine Mezkaze Berzina follows along these lines by working experimentally with blown glass, creating never-before-seen artistic value objects that carry encoded messages.
Ieva Kaleja, floor lamp “Queen”
Designer Ieva Kaleja opens up a world of other materials for us. She shows a fascinating play with contrasting materials in her lamps. For the lamp “Queen” she chose to combine precious and everyday materials – gold and corroding steel, thus also breaking the stereotyped boundary between valuable and worthless.
“Rebirth” Series by Jelizaveta Suska
In turn, the young jewellery designer Jelizaveta Suska’s artwork gives a dimension of emotionality by experimenting extensively with colours. In her collection Rebirth, she boldly interprets the most important material in Latvian jewellery-amber.
Milan” Dining Table by Renats Kotlevs
The new designer Renats Kotlevs creates furniture in an eclectic manner with metallic sheen, colour contrasts and wood textures highlights.
Jānis Straupe, dining chair “Chair in Chair”
And finally, Jānis Straupe should be classified as a classic himself as his creations in wooden furniture design are novelty and classicism at the same time. He stands out as his signature touch can be seen from far for many years already.
The objects included in the collection disclose the absolute beauty of the precise details and techniques noticeable when looked at close up, while the dazzling effect of the designs can be seen from afar. They call “Near and Far – Be Dazzled!”.