Divi Jūliji 2023 logo

Information updated on June 8, 2023

July 28 and 29

In 2023, the Gulbene Municipality Museum of History and Art is planning to organize the 6th International Art Festival “Divi Jūliji” /Two Juliuses/, dedicated to Latvian applied art masters Jūlijs Madernieks (1870-1955) and Jūlijs Straume (1874-1970), who come from Gulbene. The following activities will take place within the framework of the festival: an international scientific conference, exhibitions, one-day workshops, seminar-type workshops and a program of music, art and taste enjoyment in the Vecgulbene Manor Park. The motto of the 2023 festival will be PEAKS, which allegorically refers to the achievements in the field of applied art and which Jūlijs Straume literally had to overcome in his ethnographic expeditions in the Caucasus.

July 28
International scientific conference

The conference “Divi Jūliji. Virsotnes” on July 28 encourages research on the creative activity of the two masters, and is also a meeting and information exchange platform for applied arts, crafts, design, and
other field experts and interested parties. Simultaneous translation in English-Latvian and Latvian-English languages will be provided during the conference. After the conference, it will be possible to receive a
certificate of completion of the professional qualification improvement program for teachers.

Conference “Two Juliuses. Peaks” program:

Registration for the conference: ej.uz/KonferenceVirsotnes2023

Streaming of the conference will be available here: ej.uz/TiesraideKonference2023

Accommodation booking in Vecgulbene manor, Street Brīvības 18: ej.uz/NaktsmitneDiviJuliji2023

Nine lecturers will report at the conference in Vecgulbene Manor:

  • Kubra Aliyeva, Dr. art., Professor of Azerbaijan State Art Academy
  • Irina Koshoridze, Dr. art., Professor at Tbilisi State University
  • Aytan Ahmadova, Head of the Scientific Department of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum
  • Venta Kocere, Dr.h.c.philol., Director of Academic Library at University of Latvia
  • Inese Sirica, Dr. art., Associate Professor of the Latvian Academy of Arts
  • Ilona Audere, Dr. art., Head of the Mentzendorff House
  • Rūta Rinka, Mg. art., Custodian of the Textile Art and Leather Art Collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design
  • Ilze Lazdiņa, Chief Librarian of the Music Department of the Jāzeps Vītols Library of the Latvian Academy of Music
  • Imants Laviņš, Dr. hist., Mg. philol., Assistant Professor of the University of Economics and Culture

From 19:00 till 20:00 conference participants have an opportunity to listen to the “Melo M” concert at the Red Palace.

July 29

Workshops at the museum Barn and in the Red Palace Park, 10:00-16:00

Tile painting and clay workshop, NGO “Creative association “the Fifth House””

Ebru painting or marbling, NGO “Creative association “the Fifth House””

Latvian traditional belt workshop, master of applied arts Līga Ozoliņa

Workshop “19 century moving paper dolls 3D”, artist-designer Ināra Liepa

Seto traditional craft workshop, “Repina Creativity House” (Estonia)

The educational wool processing program of the Viktora Ķirpa Ates Museum “From sheep’s wool to a wool sock”

July 10 – 29

Life-long learning seminars-workshops

From July 10, 3 seminar type workshops will take place in Gulbene: mosaic art “Madernnieks and Straume in Pixels”, porcelain casting “The White Gold”, tapestry weaving “Threads in the Barn”.

July 18 to September 30

Exhibitions

  • Exhibition from educators of the Visual Plastic Art Department of the Latvian Academy of Arts “July Code”, Attic of the Red Palace;
  • Aina Muze tapestry exhibition “The Endless Threads” in the museum Barn, Street Klēts 4;
  • Paintings of Karabakh horses by Dace Štrausa, as well as collection items from the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum – horse bags, horse blankets, head decorations, etc. in the exhibition “On the Way to the Peaks”, Orangery, Street Pils 3
  • Photographs and computer graphics by Sandra Dikmane “Travel Diary”, 2nd floor of the Red Palace, Street Parka 10
  • Works by seminar participants and Gulbene Art School alumni exhibition “Madernieks and Straume in Pixels”, 2nd floor of the Red Palace, Street Parka 10
  • Exhibition “Šuša – the World Capital of Turkic Culture”, 2nd floor of the Red Palace, Street Parka 10

ENJOYING MUSIC, ART AND TASTE IN THE VEGULBENE MANOR COMPLEX

The program producer and moderator will be Edīte Siļkēna. The programme will include different workshops, music, taste, flavors, shopping at the fair and other delights at the Vecgulbene Manor Complex.

The joy of the meeting will be enhanced by high-quality musical accompaniment on two stages – in the Red Castle Park and at the museum Barn: Aija Vītoliņa-Freimane with the group “Tango Sin Quinto”, cello and harp duet “Infini” and others, Latvian spirit, games and performance by Iveta and Vidvuds Medeņi, and others. With the support of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Latvia and the Union of Municipalities of Azerbaijan, the musical programme will be complemented by the Azerbaijani folk dance group “Butá”.

Additional information

The festival is supported by the Gulbene Municipality, the Gulbene Art School, the Embassy of Latvia in Azerbaijan, the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Latvia, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, the State Culture Capital Foundation and the European Union.

This event is organised with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Gulbene Municipality and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

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