GLASS ARTIST ERNEST VITIN'S FIRST SOLO EXHIBITION AT RUMENE MANOR PARK

From August 27 to September 30, 2012, the young visionary glass artist Ernest Vitin held his first solo exhibition, "Monumental Sculpture in Glass", in Rumene Manor Park. The exhibition featured large-scale glass sculptures of various shades created using a unique technique.

 

The glass art exhibition was made thanks to the decision of the owners of the Manor, Justs N. Karlsons and Dana Beldiman-Karlsons, to open the Manor and the Park to the patronage of artists, as well as Professor, doctor of art sciences and head of the doctoral study program of the Latvian Academy of Arts, Ojārs Spārītis, who recommended the young, talented glass artist’s work: "Ernest Vitin's youthful maximalism and the courage to not be afraid of risk, as well as his excellent sense of material and plasticity, were the criteria that prompted me to offer this untapped opportunity in Latvian sculpture art for a trial at Rumene Manor Park." 

 

Ernest Vitin's impressive glass sculptures, showcased in Rumene Manor Park, captivate with their sheer scale, abstract form and textured finish. Each crafted from two tons of glass, these sculptures stand tall, with three exceeding two meters in height. Employing a stacked glass technique, each monumental glass sculpture boasts a unique asymmetry and a rich interplay of colours, achieved through four different shades of glass. One particularly striking sculpture incorporates over 1000 individually handcrafted glass pieces, demonstrating the artist's meticulous craftsmanship. 

 

Vitin's choice of venue—Rumene Manor Park—serves to integrate glass art seamlessly into everyday surroundings, highlighting the durability and suitability of glass for external conditions, such as incorporating it into landscape design. Vitin drew inspiration from nature through a year-long endeavour, evident in each glass sculpture's monumental yet organic form, albeit with distinct technical executions. The artist's deliberate technique of stacking glass sheets enhances the glass artwork's durability and allows easy transportation, making monumental installations accessible to a broader audience. "You can get the sheets right here on the spot. I can make and move a monumental sculpture myself because it can be divided into blocks." 

 

Beyond practical considerations, glass master Ernest Vitin's artistry aims to evoke a sense of discovery, with each large-scale sculpture revealing new facets when viewed from different angles. "I am attracted to works of art that reveal something new at every glance. The material must be justified. What's the point of making something out of glass if the glass doesn't play a role? Then it could just as well be stone, wood or bronze…”

 

The owners of Rumene Manor, Mr. Justs N. Karlsons and Mrs. Dana Beldiman-Karlsons, spoke of Ernest Vitin's monumental glass art exhibition: "Walking through the Rumene Manor Park, it became clear that the park's landscape architecture - the grounds and their planning as an environment organically allow works of art to fit into it. It is with genuine satisfaction that we hand over a century-old manor and its park to support the talent of unique and special artists. At the same time, Rumene Manor has become a place for art lovers to immerse themselves in artistic experience outside Riga's exhibition houses and galleries."

 

Rumene Manor is the country residence of the five-star Hotel Bergs in Riga. Its range of different activities, modern amenities, and convenient location have made Rumene Manor a destination highly appreciated by guests from near and far.

In 2009, Rumene Manor in the Kandava region, built and reconstructed in the neo-Gothic style, experienced its renaissance. The heirs of the Berg family are returning renovated manor buildings, a tidy park and a researched history of the origin of the Rūmene lands and their owners since the 14th century to Latvian culture. Rimene Manor project, led by architect Zaiga Gaile, received the Association of Latvian Architects award as "Best Remodel 2008". The Neo-Gothic house of the lords of Rumene was built in 1876 according to Teodor Zeiler's design. The total area of the manor ensemble with 12 adjacent outbuildings is more than 700 ha. Rumene, the Manor's landscape park with a garden of 364 rare trees, is 7.8 ha in size, and it was planned by the landscape architect Georgs Kufalts, who once created the Arcadia park and Viestur-garden in Riga.