Jaunā Gaita nr. 307. ziema 2021
L I T E R A T U R E
Andra Manfelde, Dagnija Dreika, Maija Migla-Streiča, Inta Kampara and Jānis Elsbergs offer selections of their most recent poems. Short stories are by Signe Viška, and Silvija Brice. Dace Vīgante gives a fragment from her novel Romatiķis (The Romanticist). Andris Zeibots and Inga Pizāne each give both poetry and a short story. Poems by contemporary Lithuanian poet Vladas Braziūnas and a Christmas story by German novelist Arnold Zweig (1887-1968) are included in translation.
V I S U A L A R T
Art historian Dace Lamberga, curator of exhibits at the Latvian National Museum of Art, writes about an exhibition she assembled for the centenary of Latvia’s nationhood, “The Riga Group of Artists – 100”. The Riga Group of Artists consisted of individualistic young painters who got together during the First World War, experimented with cubism and other innovative directions in the 1920s, and transitioned to realism in the early 1930s. Lamberga’s article is illustrated by photoreproductions throughout the issue.
Art editor Linda Treija describes the tumultuous public reaction in Riga to a wall mural painting by Kristians Brekte, meant to honor artist and social activist Džemma Skulme (1925-2019).
Treija also reports on a gathering of American Latvian artists in the Catskills of New York state in fall 2021.
The cover design is by Linda Treija.
M U S I C
Music editor Dace Aperāne recommends two new music recordings made available on <skani.lv>, a division of the Latvian Music Information Center. One is the album Eternity: music of Pēteris Plakidis performed by the Latvian Radio Choir led by Sigvards Kļava, and the other is titled Shadow Games in the River, chamber music performed by Ilona Meija, Dzintra Erliha, and Ivars Bezprozvanovs.
A B O U T B O O K S
Writer / critic Sandra Ratniece, newly a member of our editorial staff, reviews three books of poetry: Juris Kronbergs, Debesīs Dievs bīda mēbeles (God Rearranges Furniture in Heaven), a posthumous collection, edited by Guntars Godiņš; Juris Helds, Svētījiet maldugunis (Bless the Fen Fire); and Dace Micāne-Zālīte, Zalktenes divas saules (Two Suns of the Adder).
Kristīne Ilziņa reviews Nākotnes kalējs (Future Forger), a biographical novel by Māris Bērziņš about Vilis Lācis (1904-1966), who, besides being a writer, was Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Latvian S.S.R. 1945-1959.
Lāsma Gaitniece reviews Inese Krūmiņa, Vilkme, an autobiographical family saga.
Anita Liepiņa looks back on the literary oeuvre of Velta Toma (1912-1999), a deeply patriotic poet whose work was infused with feminine sensitivity and sadness of exile.
B R I E F L Y N O T E D
Vita Gaiķe reports on literary awards and recently published books. Linda Treija reports on art exhibits.
I N M E M O R I A M
Pēteris Bolšaitis (1937-2021) was a scientist, writer, historian, philanthropist and Latvian patriot.
Ojārs Auseklis Celle (1929-2021) was a social activist and commentator on many aspects of the life of the Latvian community in exile.
