The Museum of Decorative Applied Arts and Design, in collaboration with the Society of Decorative Applied Arts, continues the series of temporary exhibitions "Spectrum," showcasing contemporary trends in Latvian decorative applied arts. The second exhibition "Beautiful Nature" is already open and will be available for visitors until September 13, 2026.
After the exhibition "Signature," which united the individual creative searches of the participating artists, the next exhibition in this series, "Beautiful Nature," is dedicated to nature as a source of inspiration, material, memory, and process. It marks one of the most important directions in contemporary jewelry art – the ability to speak about global and significant themes on a small scale.
"Over time, terms become saturated with meanings, and when they cease to accurately describe what is happening, a new language is needed. When it comes to contemporary jewelry art in Latvia, the phrase 'inspired by nature' is no longer sufficient – it has become too general. I am interested in contemporary jewelry art as a sensitive sensor: between humans and the environment, between touch and memory," explains Ginta Grube, curator of the temporary exhibition series.
The exhibition is conceived as a living archive or laboratory – at the intersection of industrial metal structures, the aesthetics of herbariums, glass containers, light spectra, and artificial environments for growing plants. The jewelry and objects are arranged like finds, samples, or hybrids between the organic and synthetic worlds. The overall mood of the exhibition is defined by the purple light of plant lamps, creating a sense that nature exists not only outside – it is cultivated, preserved, restored, and sometimes imitated.
Jewelry artist Anna Fanigina has repeatedly emphasized in her interviews that people seek something more in jewelry than just form: "When we buy jewelry, we are most often buying inspiration, a story connected to it." This idea also permeates the atmosphere of the exhibition – each work becomes a personal and poetic attempt to capture the connection between humans and the living world.
The works presented reveal nature on various scales – from microscopic structures to bodily experiences. The artists explore the forms of seeds, leaf veins, mineral surfaces, biological processes, and the relationship between humans and the environment, reflecting on contemporary ecological anxiety, sustainable development, and the commercialization of natural aesthetics. Here, jewelry becomes personal artifacts that hold memories of touching nature in an era when it is increasingly perceived through technological filters.
The exhibition features jewelers Valdis Brože, Anna Fanigina, Guntis Lauders, Marite Rudzate, Laura Seletka, Gints Streļis, Darya Svirēl, Maris Šustins, Zane Vilka, and Maia Vitola-Zitmane.
