ARTIS NIMANIS Ar s Nimanis (1978) is one of the best-known Latvian glass ar sts. His work has been shown in both solo and group exhibi ons all over the world, including Europe, the USA, Russia, China, Mexico and Japan. Nimanis' experimenta on with the latest technologies in glass-blowing has won him praise within the contemporary art world and his unique style gives each one of his pieces an individual personality. In recent years, Ar s Nimanis increasingly uses innova ve glass processing techniques in his design process. The ar st has broken through long researches and experiments in order to discover and to explore the technological nuances and specifics of this method, which resulted with original author s technique. Innova ve method is based on the process, which happens in vacuum, where glass is coated with a very thin layer of metal, giving the mirror effect to a glass surface. Nimanis always creates op cal illusions within his sculptures. The use of mirror-like materials in his work plays an important role, giving his highly technical pieces a reflec ve, transcendental quality. The principle of reflec on has long been an important part of the development of the human mind and a symbol of self- knowledge. Nimanis is interested in the dual nature of the mirror and the way we interact with reflec ons. For him, the mirror replicates reality, but remains a door to a new reality. At the same me, the mirror can capture any environment through reflec ons, and since the mirror exists within that environment, it is able to combine those reflec ons with the exis ng space, crea ng a sense of depth. This gives the artwork a magical quality that allows the viewer to enter into the unknown and examine that, which we can see with our eyes, as well as that, which we can no longer see. Thus, the viewer may join in an illusory game with the object. Although his work remains en rely abstract, one gets the sense that Nimanis is a emp ng to convey something in par cular. His fluid solu on embodies the personality of glass as a medium and its ability to achieve a smooth silhoue e within a flowing shape. His sense of aesthe cally stylized form, line, rhythm, impulse, emo on and sensuality, and treatment and percep on of the fluid arts, all point to high professional standards, resul ng in a significant place amongst the European art-glass elite. THE EXHIBITION Glass is a bri le, yielding and mysterious material from which you can create not only tradi onal forms of everyday objects, but also objects of innova ve design and impressive art in the most unusual installa on volumes. Original exhibi on objects, visual effects, lights and sound synthesis of ar st and designer Ar s Nimanis open the door to the tour of glass magical world. While walking along surprising mazes, one is able to discover diverse and changing nature of the glass. The four nature elements that are needed to create glass water, fire, earth and air permeate the exhibi on and the natural sound of all these elements compliments it. To achieve even more magical atmosphere of the exhibi on objects, the ar st pays special a en on to ligh ng; breaking the rays of light, glass surface creates addi onal op cal and illusory combina on. In order to perceive the work of Nimanis in any philosophical or aesthe c capacity, one must be in the presence of the object. These glass sculptures are visually strong, but they are also full of delicate nuances. There are so many interpreta ons one could glean from these sculptures that it is difficult to describe the effect they might have on one viewer. In this case, everyone is en tled to interpret these objects in their own individual way. One individual may view Nimanis' sculptures as a quest for peace, but another may see them as dynamic and exci ng. One thing is clear these sculptures do not leave an indifferent impression on anyone. While standing next to these glass objects, one feels a desire to remain silent, as if they are keeping a secret.
NINE blown glass, copper / Artis Nīmanis technique 700 x 700 x 700 mm
SANDSTORM blown glass, copper / Artis Nīmanis technique 700 x 350 x 330 mm
WIND OF DESERT blown glass, gold / Artis Nīmanis technique 700 x 350 x 250 mm
MORNING BEAM blown glass, gold / Artis Nīmanis technique 700 x 350 x 265 mm
CORNUCOPIA blown glass, gold / Artis Nīmanis technique 700 x 350 x 370 mm
MOVEMENT blown glass, copper, silver / Artis Nīmanis technique 700 x 350 x 335 mm
PROMISE blown glass, copper, silver / Artis Nīmanis technique 350 x 350 x 280 mm
FLASH blown glass, stainless steel / Artis Nīmanis technique 700 x 350 x 520 mm
TAKE - OFF blown glass, stainless steel / Artis Nīmanis technique 700 x 350 x 205 mm
COLLAPSE blown glass, silver / Artis Nīmanis technique 350 x 350 x 400 mm
SPROUTS blown glass, copper / Artis Nīmanis technique 350 x 350 x 430 mm
BLACK PEARL blown glass, copper / Artis Nīmanis technique 350 x 350 x 260 mm
SIN blown glass, silver / Artis Nīmanis technique 350 x 350 x 460 mm
MOON BEAM blown glass, silver / Artis Nīmanis technique 350 x 350 x 460 mm
CONVERSATION blown glass, silver / Artis Nīmanis technique 150 x 190 x 600 mm
BUD blown glass, copper / Artis Nīmanis technique 206 x 210 x 510 mm
DROP IN THE MOONLIGHT glass, stainless steel / Artis Nīmanis technique 2130 x 3550 x 410 mm
ESCAPED 2014 glass, stainless steel / Artis Nīmanis technique 310 x 310 x 400 mm
THE BEGINNING multimedia 4D glass art / Artis Nīmanis technique 1380 x 860 x 750 mm
ORIGIN 2014 glass, stainless steel / Artis Nīmanis technique 310 x 310 x 400 mm
LONGING 2014 glass, stainless steel / Artis Nīmanis technique 310 x 310 x 400 mm
SEA FOAM BUMBLEBEES 2014 blown glass, silver / Artis Nīmanis technique 310 x 319 400 mm
ELFIN COTTON CANDY 2014 blown glass, silver / Artis Nīmanis technique 210 x 610 x 260 mm
PLACE MAKING glass, stainless steel / Artis Nīmanis technique 700 x 700 x 360 mm
SIN CITY glass / Artis Nīmanis technique 700 x 350 x 165 mm
ARTIS NIMANIS EDUCATION: MFA, 2006 Latvian Academy of Art, Department of Glass Design BFA, 2003 Latvian Academy of Art, Department of Glass Design Diploma, 1999 Riga College of Applied Art, Glass Design WORK EXPERIENCE: 2004 current SIA Angel Glass Design Co-Owner an&angel, Chief Designer 2008 2014 Riga Design and Art Secondary School Teacher and Head of a Department 2003 2004 DDB ad agency Production Manager 2002 2003 Pieci ezeri design office Artist/Designer and Project Manager 2001 2002 Sanders ad agency Artist/Designer 1999 2000 Riga Design Studio Lighting Designer 1998 1999 Prezenta International layout duties 1997 1998 Forti project management firm Visual Ad Designer
ARTIS NIMANIS EXHIBITS (LAST 6 YEARS): Apr/June Feb/Mar Mar 2015 Dec Feb Personal exhib. at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design - Riga, Latvia Personal exhib. Artis Nimanis. The Glass at the gallery Ethra - Mexico City, Mexico Maison&Objet - Singapore, Republic of Singapore International exhib. SMOG at the museum of Glass in Shanghai - China 2015 Mar 2015 Feb Maison&Objet - Singapore, Republic of Singapore Personal exhib. ART is ART - a Latvian Voice in Glass, The Franz Mayer Museum in Mexico City, Mexico 2014 Oct 2014 Sept 2014 Aug 2014 Apr/Aug 2014 Apr Dowtown Design 2014 Dubai, UAE Maison&Objet Paris, France Glass art symposium Glass Jazz Panevezys, Lithuania Personal exhibition A Latvian Voice in Glass Washington, D.C. Group exhib. Rotācija Sigulda, Latvia 2013 Sep 2013 Mar/June 2013 Jan Maison&Objet Paris, France International exhib Katovice, Silēzijas muzejs, Poland Maison&Objet Paris, France 2012 Sep 2012 Mar/Apr 2012 Feb 2012 Jan Maison&Objet Paris, France Creative studio Cite Internacionale des Arts Paris, France Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair Stockholm, Sweden Maison&Objet Paris, France 2011 Oct/Nov 2011 Oct 2011 May 2011 May 2011 Mar 2011 Feb 2011 Jan Glass art exhib. Glass of Latvia St. Petersburg, Russia Group exhib. Balts. Melns. Sarkans Valmiera, Latvia RDMV Staff Exhibition Riga, Latvia Group exhib. Raunas vārti Cēsis, Latvia Group exhib. Stikla Balss 11 Riga, Latvia Group exhib. Year 08, 09, 10 Award for Design Riga, Latvia Maison&Objet Paris, France 2010 Dec 2010 Nov 2010 Sep 2010 Sep 2010 Feb 2010 Jan 2010 Jan RDMV Staff Exhibition Riga, Latvia Group exhib. Vilnius, Lithuania Group exhib. Jūrmala, Latvia Maison&Objet Paris, France AMBIENTE 2010 Frankfurt, Germany Maison&Objet Paris, France Exhib. Ziemas dārzs Cēsis, Latvia 2009 Nov 2009 Oct/Nov 2009 Sep 2009 June 2009 May 2009 Jan Personal exhib. 31 sajūtas, A Sūna gallery Riga, Latvia Participation in EU Gateway Tokyo, Japan Maison&Objet Paris, France New Lifestyle & Design Tokyo, Japan RDMV Staff Exhibition Dzīvo zaļi, nr. 2 Riga, Latvia RDMV Staff Exhibition Dzīvo zaļi, nr. 1 Riga, Latvia STIPENDS AND AWARDS: 2015 2014 2013 2012 2012 2011 2010 2010 2009 2008 2007 State Culture Capital Foundation stipend for creative work - Latvia German Design Award 2015 / excellent product design Red Dot Design Award for product design State Cultural Capital Fundation stipend Works of art included in Latvian National Museum of Art collection DEKO award DIZAINS 2010 / 1st place for best industrial design LIAA competition / 3rd place for Export and Innovation 2010 DEKO award DIZAINS 2009 / 2nd and 3rd place for best industrial design State Cultural Capital Fundation stipend Latvian Designer Association Stikls un stils competition tableware division / 4th place for Gold Titan DEKO award DIZAINS 2006 / 1st place for best industrial design www.nimanis.com artis@nimanis.com
Artis Nīmanis is represented by art and design agency Art is Art. Art is Art art and design agency Ernestines street 12, Riga, Latvia e-mail: art@artisart.lv tel.: + 371 29346386