OREANDA-NEWS. August 27, 2013. The opening reception of I. Blumberg’s solo exhibition titled ‘I Won't Die’ was held at the Arsenals Exhibition Hall (the Latvian National Museum of Art). Ilmars Blumberg is a famous Latvian artist, scenic designer and sculptor. The event also showcased the eponymously-named book about Blumberg’s art. Baltic International Bank has sponsored the exhibition and publication of the book.

“Those who have the talent for seeing the world differently undoubtedly deserve respect. Those who have the talent for seeing and showing that world to others are greatly gifted. But the Master who is able to penetrate the world, as seen by other artist, and to expose the excellence of other wonderful masterpieces, be it ‘Aida’ or ‘The Valkyrie’ or many others, is truly worth of admiration. People like Ilmars Blumberg are ahead of their time. Maitre Blumberg is blessed with the ability to see into the future and maybe even into the eternal,” the Chairperson of the Council and major shareholder Valeri Belokon said.

On the first floor, the Exhibition Hall showcases Blumberg’s paintings, art objects and installations. On the second floor, the exhibition is offering visitors graphic works and drawings. Video displays are installed there as well. The exhibition features more than 100 artworks created from 1993 through 2013.

Blumberg’s art is highly autobiographical in nature. „To paint what I live to better understand how I’m living” is the motto of the exhibition.  The leitmotif of the exposition is the awareness of one’s own ego. When you are looking at the paintings, your mind immediately switches from your physical self to mental self”, said the curator of the exhibition, an art historian Anita Vanaga.

Born in 1943, Ilmars Blumberg graduated from the Riga School of Applied Art and the Latvian Academy of Fine Arts (Painting and Drawing Faculty). He worked across a diverse range of arts, including painting and graphics, scenic design, sculpturing, photography and cinematography, and designed coins and art installations. For a long period of time, he worked for Riga’s Daile Theater in various capacities as scenic designer and art director. Also, he put his efforts into performances staged by the Latvian National Opera.  In 2009, Verdi’s Aida, with its grand sets and costuming by a legendary Ilmars Blumberg and sponsored by Baltic International Bank, triumphantly returned to the LNO. Since then, a successful partnership between Bank and the artist has commenced.