Valdis Celms

{{Infobox person

| name = Valdis Celms

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1943|10|24}}

| birth_place = {{ill|Vildogas pagasts|lv}}, Sigulda Municipality, Reichskommissariat Ostland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Latvian

| education = Art Academy of Latvia

| occupation = Artist, graphic designer, religious leader

| years_active =

| spouse = Gunta Celma

}}

Valdis Celms (born 24 October 1943) is a Latvian artist, graphic designer and neopagan leader. He is known for his kinetic art and is one of the leaders of the Baltic neopagan organization Latvijas Dievtuŗu sadraudze.

Early life and education

Valdis Celms was born on 24 October 1943 in {{ill|Vildogas pagasts|lv}}, Sigulda Municipality. He was educated at the Riga Construction College and the Department of Industrial Art at the Art Academy of Latvia.{{cite news |url=https://jauns.lv/raksts/9viri/437565-saruna-ar-valdi-celmu-viru-kurs-radija-ikonisko-uzrakstu-riga |title=Saruna ar Valdi Celmu - vīru, kurš radīja ikonisko uzrakstu 'RĪGA' |work={{ill|Jauns.lv|lv}} |language=Latvian |date=10 April 2021 |access-date=13 April 2021 }}

Art and design

File:Dizaina objekts robežzīme RĪGA , Bauskas šoseja 01.JPG

Celms is considered one of the founders of kinetic art in Latvia due to his exploration of the artform in the 1960s. He became prominent in the Latvian artworld in the 1970s with his kinetic art, photomontages and graphic design.{{cite news |last=Rušeniece |first=Līga |date=14 November 2016 |url=https://nra.lv/kultura/191366-valdis-celms-but-latvietim-ir-garigs-uzdevums.htm |title=Valdis Celms: Būt latvietim ir garīgs uzdevums |work=Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze |language=lv |access-date=9 May 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.diena.lv/raksts/kd/maksla/dizainera-valda-celma-izstade-_pieskarieni_-13997562 |title=Dizainera Valda Celma izstāde Pieskārieni |date=11 March 2013 |work=Diena |language=lv |access-date=9 May 2020}} For his kinetic art, he combined modern materials and needs with influences from folk art and tried to emulate the movements of nature. Some of the more ambitious kinetic sculptures he designed in the 1970s were not realized at the time, but have been built and exhibited after the fall of the Soviet Union.{{cite news |last=Auzāne |first=Ilze |date=30 August 2020 |url=https://www.diena.lv/raksts/kd/maksla/par-ko-sapno-pozitrons-riboca2-apskatami-valda-celma-un-kristapa-ancana-darbi-14247350 |title=Par ko sapņo Pozitrons? RIBOCA2 apskatāmi Valda Celma un Kristapa Ancāna darbi |work=Diena |language=lv |access-date=13 April 2021}} In 1980 he designed the large "Rīga" signs that welcome people as they enter the Latvian capital through its main roads.{{cite news |last=Adamaite |first=Undīne |date=29 July 2009 |url=https://www.diena.lv/raksts/latvija/riga/r-i-g-a-680110 |title="R», «Ī», «G», «A" |work=Diena |language=lv |access-date=9 May 2020 }}

A large retrospective of Celms' artworks was held at the Latvian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in 2013 to celebrate his 70th birthday.{{cite news |url=https://www.diena.lv/raksts/kd/maksla/kustibas-krasa-14000432 |title=Kustības krāsa |date=26 March 2013 |work=Diena |language=lv |access-date=9 May 2020 }} In 2014 he was awarded the Order of the Three Stars from the Latvian state.{{cite news |url=https://www.diena.lv/raksts/kd/muzika/deju-lieluzveduma-_tevu-laipas_-veidotaji-sanems-valsts-augstakos-apbalvojumus-14053391 |title=Deju lieluzveduma Tēvu laipas veidotāji saņems Valsts augstākos apbalvojumus |date=24 April 2014 |work=Diena |language=lv |access-date=9 May 2020 }}

Pagan revivalism

Celms is one of the leaders of the Baltic neopagan group Latvijas Dievtuŗu sadraudze. In this capacity he led the team that created the Lokstene Shrine of Dievturi on an island in the Daugava river, inaugurated in 2017.{{cite news |url=https://skaties.lv/zinas/latvija/sabiedriba/uz-salas-daugava-atklata-dievturu-svetnica/ |title=Uz salas Daugavā atklāta dievturu svētnīca |date=11 May 2017 |work=Skaties |language=lv |access-date=9 May 2020 }} In 2007, he published the book Latvju raksts un zīmes ({{literal translation|Latvian Patterns and Symbols}}) which went on to sell well. In 2016, he published Baltu dievestības pamati ({{literal translation|Fundamentals of the Baltic Religion}}), where he, influenced by Ernests Brastiņš, Marija Gimbutas and Janīna Kursīte-Pakule, gives an introduction to the Baltic deities and how to be aware of them.{{cite news |url=https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/dzive--stils/tautas-maksla/iznakusi-valda-celma-gramata-par-baltu-dievibam.a214812/ |title=Iznākusi Valda Celma grāmata par baltu dievībām |date=15 December 2016 |work=Latvijas Sabiedriskais medijs |language=lv |access-date=9 May 2020 }}

Publications

Latvju raksts un zīmes: baltu pasaules modelis: uzbūve, tēli, simbolika. Folkloras informācijas centrs, Riga 2007, {{ISBN|978-9984-39-019-2}}.
Baltu dievestības pamati. Izdevniecība Lauku Avīze, Riga 2016, {{ISBN|978-9934-15-241-2}}

Valdis Celms

Early life and education

Art and design

Pagan revivalism

Publications

References

Further reading