Jēkaba Bīnes ornamenta interpretācijas sadursme ar Staļina laika estētiku
The Conflict of the Interpretation of Jēkabs Bīne’s Ornament Lecture with Stalin-Era Aesthetics

Summary/Abstract: The research about the creative legacy of the artist Jēkabs Bīne (1895–1955) and his personal life is closely connected with the artistic, social, and political events of the 20th century. During the Soviet years, Jēkabs Bīne’s life was quiet, his articles were not published, and he rarely lectured in public. The artist devoted himself to working with stained glass and in the evenings continued his studies of ancient ornaments. However, on December 29th, 1952, Bīne’s performance at the Artists’ House and his lecture on ornaments caused confusion and difficulties. His performance created a wide resonance in the media and within the circle of art functionaries. The article traces the efforts of Jēkabs Bīne to find a compromise between his beliefs, interests, and the requirements of the Soviet era and its conditions of imposed thinking. These events confirm the ruthless attitude of the Soviet Era towards the free expression of personal thoughts. Even though Bīne managed to avoid trouble, he had to listen to testimony of the wrongness and invalidity of his thoughts and beliefs.

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