From October 18 to December 8, 2024, Riga Porcelain Museum will host the solo exhibition "Life and Moments" by Latvian porcelain artist Juris Bergins. In the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to see both examples of the artist's early creative activity, which are now regarded as treasured of applied art of Latvia, as well as his latest personal works, which have been created in the last five years. Juris Bergins’ craftsmanship and artistic character are vividly revealed in porcelain, chamotte, stoneware and ceramics. The exposition will be arranged in the shop windows on the ground floor of the museum and will be viewable throughout the day.

The exhibition "Life and Moments" will offer a deep insight into the creative path of Jurs Bergins, from his early work to his latest experiments. In the early works, the artist's high-quality craftsmanship and ability to work with traditional porcelain shapes and ornaments are manifested. These works reflect the values of classic porcelain, highlighting its purity and elegance.

The exhibition will also feature the artist's works of recent years, in which he experiments with shapes, textures and colours, looking for new possibilities of expression and discovering the diversity of porcelain. Bergins challenges the limitations of the material and offers innovative technical solutions, focusing on both contemporary art and traditional motifs.

"Porcelain for me is not only a material, but also a philosophical medium," he says. "It allows me to express both fragility and durability, and each work is the story of that contrast. I'm in constant dialogue with the material, looking for new ways to express it."

The exhibition "Life and Moments" offers not only the pleasure of art, but also a deeper understanding of the role of porcelain in contemporary art. Bergins’ works reflect a personal and cultural story, which is manifested through precise details, symbols and nuanced forms.

Juris Bergins is one of the most extravagant Latvian porcelain artists, whose works have been recognized both in Latvia and internationally. The artist was born in Riga in 1961, graduating from Janis Rozentāls Art School in 1980 and from the Industrial Arts Department of the Latvian Academy of Arts in 1985 (today, the Design Department). He became interested in ceramics while helping his wife repair tiled stoves, and he soon developed a unique style. In his creative activity, Bergins combines classical porcelain traditions with contemporary artistic ideas and unique creative techniques, combining original, powerful forms with realistic images, complementing them with socio-political and historical themes.

Since 1987 he has participated in exhibitions in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Canada, the USA, Germany, Denmark, Australia, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Yugoslavia, Switzerland, the UK, Hungary, Finland, South Korea, Taiwan, and China. In 1991, he received a grant from the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (Canada).  In 1995, he received the "Purchase-Prize" (Faenza, Italy); in 1996, he received an honorary diploma (second place) "Cup-96" (Belgrade, Serbia); in 1997, he received the "Special Award" of the Mayor of Sydney (Shepparton, Australia). In 1998, at the International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza, Bergins’works were included in the exhibition "Selezione di doni 1996-98. Da Fontana a Valentini ed oltre" together with the works of Pablo Picasso, Peter Voulkos and other artists, and Bergins’ works are currently also on display in the museum's main exhibition. In 2002, American artist and academic Susan Peterson (1925-2009) first included ceramicists in the digital list of artists the "Visual Resources Collection." The list includes about 8,700 artists from all over the world, with Latvia represented by such artists as Gustavs Klucis (Painting, Print, Photography) and Juris Bergins (Ceramics).

Photographs of Bergins’  works have been published in such magazines as "New Ceramic" (Germany), "Ceramic and Perception Art" (Australia); "American Craft" (USA); World of Art (London, United Kingdom); "La Biennale di Venecia 58th"; "MoMA" (New York); "Guggenheim" (Solomon Guggenheim Museum, New York) and the Berlin Biennale.

Juris Bergins has been a member of the Artists' Union of Latvia since 1991, and a member of the International Academy of Ceramics in Geneva since 1999. He is an honorary member of the Lithuanian Artists' Union (LDS). Thanks to his enthusiasm, international events such as the Baltic contemporary ceramics exhibition "Spring" and the International Ceramics Symposium "Reduction" have emerged.

In Latvia, the ceramicist has organized several solo exhibitions, and his works have often been exhibited at the Riga Porcelain Museum, as well as in other important Latvian museums and galleries.

Jurs Bergins' solo exhibition "Life and Moments" will be on display at the Riga Porcelain Museum from October 18 to December 8, 2024. The exhibition will be accompanied by informative additional materials on the museum's online channels, especially social media accounts.