In the month of Alexander Chuck’s anniversary exhibition “From Alexander to Chuck” we discuss the poet and his events with Andris Konsti, founder of the Alexander Chuck Society, Antras Mednis, director of the poet’s memorial museum, Agita Ikauniec artist Christian Brecht.
During the month of Alexander Chuck’s anniversary, the exhibition “From Alexander to Chuck” will be shown in the Riga Art Space. Going through Chuck’s “addresses”, you can see objects, portraits, listen to poetry. The organizer and scenographer of the exhibition is Kristians Brekte, who has created the exhibition in pure colors and lines, without overcrowding with objects and texts. The author of the literary concept of the exhibition is Antra Medne, the director of the Chuck Museum.
We talked to Andris Konsti, the head of the Čaka Society, Antras Mednis, the director of the Čaka Museum, about how things are still returning to the museum, and about how the Čaka apartment on Lāčplēša Street, where the Čaka Museum is now, has survived over time.
There are legends about a show that is recorded in the Canon of Culture, not even recorded so that we can watch it. It’s Chuck’s “Play, Gambler!” Youth Theater. There, the poetry of Chuck, the thought of Imants Ziedonis and the direction of Pēteris Pētersons, the scenography of Ilmārs Blumbers and the music of Imants Kalniņš came together in one creative breath. The actor Imants Skrastiņš – Poet played his life role there. The premiere was in 1972, the show was played for 16 seasons, and people watched it many times until some knew it by heart.
It turns out, however, there is an amateur audio recording of this show, from which small excerpts can also be heard in the program Kultūras rondo, when we are talking about things that return, about tastes and smells, and Čaka’s five eyes while waiting for Čaka’s 120th birthday.
The title of the exhibition “From Alexander to Chuck” includes the whole idea of the exhibition – it is the way of life from the birth of a person, when he was given the name Alexander, until he came to the word “Chuck”. The introduction of the exhibition is decorated with a portrait of A. Chuck, specially created for this exhibition by A. Chuck, with five eyes, which symbolizes the poet’s special talent and diverse vision of things, events, everyday details, connecting it with five elements – earth, water, fire, air and spirit.
The layout of the exhibition is designed as important stops – addresses of A. Čaka, reflecting the most important events of the poet in his creative work, as well as in everyday life, thoughts and personal experiences. In total, these are eight stopping points. These stories consist of photographs, A. Čaka’s manuscripts and various objects belonging to them, moreover, each of these stages is complemented by a corresponding song. Set designer and artist Kristians Brekte has created the layout of the exhibition in a lively and diverse way, just as A. Chuck himself has been in his work and personality, paying great attention to his visual image.
The exhibition provides an opportunity to get to know not only the poet’s life, but also the most important personalities in his life – father Jānis Čadarainis, mother Emilija Lizeta Čadarainis, wife Anna Elizabeth Eriks Bērziņš and others.
The exhibition “From Alexander to Chuck” will be on view at the Riga Art Space until November 21, but many events are expected until then, including the Alexander Chuck Award Ceremony on October 27, Chuck’s 120th birthday.
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