LATVIA: ART AND LITERATURE

Traditional arts in Latvia are generally centered around crafts and craftwork. These crafts can be broadly divided between the ones that women generally do and the ones that men handle. Craft art such as textiles, embroidery, pottery, weaving, and other types of needlework were generally done by women. Men also do pottery, but they also handle heavier hands-on work such as woodworking and blacksmithing. Although the traditional arts aren’t quite as encouraged as they used to be, there is still quite a following by those who want to keep these old Latvian crafts alive. Today, these types of handicrafts and woodworking products are produced for arts fairs and tourist shops. 

Latvia is also known for its architecture. The Old City section of Riga is picturesque in its closely built multicolored buildings. The German-influenced Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals and castles gives the city center the feeling of stepping back into time. Many of the older homes were completely wooden; foreigners moving into the area introduced them to masonry techniques. They’re also widely known for their Art Nouveau style of architecture with its characteristic ornamental flowers, faces, swirls, and curls. 

After Latvia gained its independence, one of the first things they did was to establish a Cultural Foundation. This foundation saw to the promotion of Latvian arts and also provided financial assistance toward artists and art schools, galleries, and events. The arts were one of the key things they used to help solidify their identity as a Latvian people. 

  

However, when the Russians moved in and took over, the communist government kept a close eye on the artists. Because artists are such scary people, right? Their works were heavily censored and had to promote a sense of nationalism per the views of the Russian government and philosophy. When the country regained its independence once more, the arts were able to freely flourish again. Today, Latvian artists spread the gamut of all mediums—from painting to sculpture to photography to contemporary art displays. 

by Igor Maikov

Latvian literature is mostly written in either Latvian or Latgalian. In the earliest days, stories and folk songs were passed down generation to generation by word of mouth. Written literature didn’t really become popular or a widely practiced art until about the 19^th century. The works of literature were mostly poetry. Many of the Baltic-German members of the upper crust viewed the Latvian language as the language of peasantry, which partly influenced Juris Alunans to write his work entitled Songs. Not long after this, Andrejs Pumpurs produced the classic epic poem called Lacplesis.

 

Lacplesis is also the name of a Latvian beer, apparently. I don't see why we can't have both.

The 20^th century saw many changes in literature, but it was mainly reflecting the turmoil and the social-political changes taking place around them. Themes surrounding Latvian nationalism seem to be the core topic in poetry, prose, and drama. During Latvia’s first bout of independence, literature took on the modernity that rivaled other parts of Europe. Poverty and the seedier sides of life were often romanticized in such as way to make it seem almost desirable. Or at least recognizable and familiar. Some of the writers popular from this period include Aleksandrs Caks, Eriks Adamsons, Linards Tauns, and Gunars Salins.

 

Knuts Skujenieks

Writers suffered during the Soviet years. Their works were by far more scrutinized and censored. And many writers who were deemed as a threat to the Soviet government (or the possibility of a threat) were sent out to the emptiness of Siberia. This caused many Latvian writers to flee the country to friendlier places such as Stockholm, London, other areas of Europe, and the U.S. (particularly, New York). Many of these writers wrote about their experiences in respect to their views on the political scene. Not all writers left; there were many who stayed. Notable writers during this period include Ojars Vacietis, Vizma Belsevica, Knuts Skujenieks, Imants Ziedonis, Klavs Elsbergs, and Mara Zalite. There were also a group of Latgalian writers who write in Latgalian in order to keep the language alive. Every year, this group of Latgalian writers publish their works, mainly through the same publishing house, and the best of their work is published in the Latgalian Literary almanac.

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FINLAND: ART AND LITERATURE

Finns have certainly made their mark of distinction in the field of architecture.  And certainly, Finnish architects have been influenced by both Sweden and Russia.  Spanning nearly 800 years, Finnish architecture excelled in several different styles, such as Art Nouveau, Nordic Classicism, and Functionalism.

Early form of buildings was called kota, a type of hut or tent covered in fabric, moss, or timber. Later, buildings were built primarily of timber, using a variety of construction techniques. Saunas were also an important structure as well. Church construction added a level of difficulty in comparison with home construction: large windows and larger scale; many churches were built using a “cross plan,” in other words, in the shape of a cross.  Stone was generally used for castles and a few churches. By the end of the Middle Ages, other buildings began using stone as well. The mid-18^th Century brought along the Neoclassical style.

Auditorium at the Univ. of Technology by Alvar Aalto (Helsinki, Finland)

Two of the most prolific modern architects are Alvar Aalto and Eliel Saarinen. Alvar Aalto was recognized as a prolific artist in many mediums: sculptures, paintings, furniture, textiles, and glassware. His architecture spanned from Nordic Neoclassicism in the beginning to functionalism and then monumentalism, with some experimentation mixed in the transitions.

First Christian Church by Eliel Saarinen (Columbus, Indiana)

I didn’t realize that there is a closer tie to architect Eliel Saarinen.  Not only did he design several well-known buildings in Finland, such as the rail stations in Helsinki (Central) and Vyborg and the National Museum of Finland, but he later moved to the United States and kept designing. The city of Columbus, Indiana (known for its architecture) is the city where my parents grew up, and I still have a lot of family there. Eliel designed the First Christian Church, while his son Eero Saarinen went on to design the Irwin Union Bank, the Miller House and Garden, and the North Christian Church. Eero would go on to be more famous than his father by giving us the St. Louis Gateway Arch, Dulles International Airport, and many other buildings.

North Christian Church by Eero Saarinen (Columbus, IN) -- I was fascinated by this building as a kid. 

Early Finnish literature was either written in Latin or in Swedish.  The majority of literature at this time was law and government records, and religious texts. The first work to be translated into Finnish was The New Testament, translated by Mikael Agricola.

The 19^th Century was a busy time for those collecting folklore stories. Folk stories and fairytale collections were quite popular in Finnish-language literature. Many of these stories came from Karelia, an area in eastern Finland that was at one time considered the essence of Finland but later was taken by Russia as the spoils of war.  The Finnish Literary Society is to thank for the collection of many of these folk stories and poems, published as Suomen Kansan Vanhat Runot (Ancient Poems of the Finnish People). Altogether, it is 27,000 pages in 33 volumes. However, the most famous collection is Kalevala.  It’s an epic poem, often viewed as a representation of Finnish nationalism. Aleksis Kivi’s novel Seven Brothers was the first novel written in Finnish, published in 1870. 

After Finland gained independence, Frans Eemil Sillanpää became the first person from Finland to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, often writing about civil war. Väinö Linna followed the same theme in his novel The Unknown Soldier. The movie adaptation is broadcast on television every Independence Day, making it a tradition for many Finns. In the 1950s, poets began taking on the styles of American and British poetry, as well as translating Latin and Greek epic poetry into Finnish.  Notable poets of this time period include Paavo Haavikko, Eeva-Liisa Manner, Eino Leino, Otto Manninen, and Pentti Saarikoski. 

Because Swedish is still spoken by a sizable amount of Finns, there is also a section of Swedish-language literature here as well. The poem “Our Land,” written by Johan Ludvig Runeberg, was considered more or less of a national anthem, well before the official declaration of independence. Perhaps, one of the most well known Swedish-language works published in Finland are the Moomin books by Tove Jansson. What also makes this unique is that it’s in the form of a comic book (it was actually a series of nine books produced between 1945-1993.). Another Swedish-language children’s author from Finland is Irmelin Sandman Lilius. She’s also written books for adults (including several biographies), translated works, and has worked as a reviewer.

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CZECH REPUBLIC: ART AND LITERATURE

Czechs are renowned for their glass-making art and their crystal.  I’ve been a huge fan of art glass ever since I saw a Dale Chihuly exhibit when I was in college (although he studied more of an Italian and French style art glass, I think.).  Art glass, made in the original way, is heated and then mouth-blown using a special tool and then decorated by hand. While the earliest glass-blowing techniques were developed in Egypt and spread throughout the Mediterranean, the Syrians invented the glass-blowing tube that helped to revolutionize this art.  Part of the reason why art glass is so popular in central Europe is because of the natural raw materials, especially in the form of quartz veins along the Lusatian Mountains. Small pieces of this type of glass have been found in ruins dating back to medieval days. During the 17^th century, glass artists began developing a type of extremely clear, high-quality glass called crystal, which is shaped and cut by using special rotating copper wheels. With the creation and production of crystal chandeliers during the 18^th century, business boomed, but then lagged behind when glassmakers didn’t quite adhere to growing trends elsewhere. Through different trends and styles of engraving, inlays, and painting, Czech art glass is still loved and a popular exhibit in art museums all over the worlds.

One of the most well-known painters is Alphonse Mucha. His artistic styles gained international notability at the 1900 Exposition Universelle, and his style soon became known as Art Nouveau. A lot of his art can be seen in postage stamps, banknotes, and ad posters for various shops and theatres and such.  One of his legacies is a set of large paintings that depict Czech and Slavic history known as The Slav Epic. It was a series of 20 paintings that he bestowed upon the city of Prague as a gift to the city he loved.  When the Germans entered into Czechoslovakia, he was among the first to be rounded up and interrogated. During this long interrogation, he contracted pneumonia, and although he was released, it took a toll on his lungs.  He eventually died of an infection in his lung during the summer of 1939.    

For the most part, Czech literature is written in Czech. For this reason, Prague native Franz Kafka (who is fluent in Czech) is not included in the Czech canon of literature since he wrote in the German language.  The earliest pieces of Czech literature were mostly liturgical in nature, and mostly written in Old Church Slavonic using the Glagolitic alphabet (that Saints Cyril and Methodius developed).  Of course Latin was also widely used in religious matters as well, later changing over to Czech or German after the Middle Ages. During the Baroque period, Catholic poetry and prose were pretty much the best-sellers out there. Hagiographies were very popular during these times as well. (I had to look up hagiography: it’s a biography written about a saint and the miracles they did.)

The 18^th and 19^th centuries were changing times in Czech literature. Classicism became the most noted genre, especially in the German and Austrian style, and the sciences also began to be explored. Historical accounts were being documented, and grammars were being nailed down and standardized. Several writers were also making efforts in another field: drama (which generally mimicked what the Germans were already doing).  While they were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, emerging authors were exploring new paths, incorporating philosophical themes and the current hot genres for that time. Among these authors were Božena Němcová, Karel Mácha, and Jan Neruda (the namesake of where Chilean poet Pablo Neruda chose his pen name). 

Jan Neruda

The 20^th century brought about an array of avant-garde writing with topics delving into women’s rights, anarchy, expressionism, social commentary, and other literary movements and liberal topics.  Drama, poetry, and prose all fell into these various movements.  During the Communist years, much of this literature turned to ideals such as freedom and democracy and actually still circulated somewhat freely.  However, as censorship began to take its ugly hold, most of these authors fled abroad. Their works began to be read less and less in Czechoslovakia, but gained a different readership as it was translated into other languages. One of these poets and playwrights is none other than Václav Havel. I first heard of him on The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell a few years ago when Havel had passed away. He was the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first president of the Czech Republic. The author of over 20 plays and numerous non-fiction works, he was ranked fourth in a 2005 poll by Prospect magazine of the world’s top 100 intellectuals.  Because he was a dissident during the Communist years, he was imprisoned, and during those years, he wrote many letters to his wife Olga. Years later, these letters were compiled in a book called Letters to Olga,” which I’ve requested from the library. It’s said that this book is one that author Salmon Rushdie always carries with him, so I can’t wait until my book comes in. 

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