The work was created this spring, while reading the children’s book by the poet Imants Ziedonis Me, A Human Being in the World. In the book, Ziedonis explains such concepts as LIFE, TIME, GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT, RELATIONSHIPS, WORK, and others. The book is like a guide that explains the fundamentals of life, encourages one to develop, to nurture oneself and one’s land, to restore its heritage.

Getting to know the town of Talsi, its history and the people who have lived and still live here, the focus came to rest upon an unusual and important person for Talsi – Tīcs Dzintarkalns (1874–1937), who has devoted his life to this small town in Kurzeme. A teacher, regional researcher, creator of the Talsi Museum and also a follower of Latvian spiritual movement Dievturi (literally – Holders of Gods), whose house Dzintari on the outskirts of Talsi has the most unusual interior. His personality was very appealing, characterised by constant activity, interest in Latvian culture and antiquity. Tīcs’ life seems like a clear example of the life Ziedonis calls for in his book Me, A Human Being in A World.

The composition of the mural was inspired by the wall paintings in Tīcs’ house Dzintari, depicting various fairy tales and mythological scenes. The author of the wall paintings is the artist Kārlis Sūniņš, better known as a watercolourist, who was also born in Talsi region.

“The mural is painted on the facade of the building which houses Talsi Civil Registry Department and the Talsi Art School. Three large-format wall panels by the painter Lidija Auza can be seen in the building, which were created especially for the premises of the Talsi Civil Registry Department – poetical reflections on marriage and Talsi. In the works, I felt minimalism, abstraction of form characteristic of the culture of Far East. While working with the sketches of ideas, I embraced this mood and continued to address the theme of marriage bonds initiated by Auza.”

The right-hand side of the facade is divided into three scenes, the left-hand side depicts a large clew.

The upper right corner depicts the ancient tale of Eden. The images are devised from Latvian symbols, combining them with motifs from the wall paintings of Dzintari House, creating a dialogue and expanding the interpretation field of various symbols.

Jumis – the symbol of fertility here also represents the first people – Adam and Eve, man and woman.

The Golden Appletree, a motif depicted several times in Dzintari House – interpreted as the Tree of Life.

Grass snake – a symbol of wisdom, science and also – a snake (Devil) who beckoned the first people, inviting them to eat from the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil, even though it was forbidden.

The symbol of God is a triangle with an open lower edge.

The lower right-hand corner of the facade is completely dark, in the middle of it is depicted a small celestial body, reminding us that we are in the World – under the Sun, and everything around is really very dark, much is unknown. The sun is like a crown, like an apple from the Golden Appletree.

The painting between the first and second floors depicts the reflection of the old castle of Talsi in the lake. The castle, according to legend, sank into the lake, as magic spells were cast upon it. Historically, there was an ancient Curonian castle on the Talsi hill, and today the hill is overgrown with apple trees.

The clew, the centre of the composition, carries several meanings, but the fundamental one is an image that includes all the shared experience of mankind, a story from the beginning, and also characterises the essence of a person,” artist Zīle Ziemele describes her work.

“When a person grows not only in height, but in his entirety, and in every way, then it is said that a person is DEVELOPING. A person unfolds his abilities, the wisdom, the sincerity, all the TALENTS. And he sees it, and can’t help but be surprised how much has been developed within him…And when all these CHARACTERISTICS that are inside you, you unfold, open, and you see for yourself the SPECIAL that has been hidden and wrapped within you, when you unwrap yourself open and realize how much you are like this, like that, like this or like something else, too, then you can add something else to what you have. You can add something that you lack. LEARNING is unfolding and adding something good onto yourself.”

(Imants Ziedonis, Me, A Human Being in A World / Es, cilvēks, pasaulē, 1993.)

Imants Ziedonis Foundation Viegli , Ziedoņa klase is implementing a project “Me, A Human Being in the World”, A Tool for Fostering Contemporary Culture Processes (project No. EEZ/2021/1/28) with the support of the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism for the period 2014–2020 programme Local Development, Poverty Reduction and Cultural Cooperation, awarded under the open call Support for the Creation of Professional Art and Cultural Products for Children and Youth.

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