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On the shortest night of the year, the summer solstice, large-format pottery works glowed on the Pasta island to complement the existing chamotte sculpture park. This year, the artists dedicated their works to the memory of Alexander Dyachenko, the artistic director of International Large-Scale Ceramic Sculpture Symposium, and they can be seen by every visitor to the island.

“Sasha Dyachenko gave the symposium stability and thoroughness in both technical and artistic issues,” emphasizes Maris Brancis, the head of the Jelgava Artists’ Association. The Chamotte Sculpture Symposium in Jelgava has been taking place since 2013 and its artistic director until his death was the artist Alexander Dyachenko. This year, Jānis Leimanis took over the management of the symposium.

This year, large-format sculptures were created by Latvian artists Ilze Emse-Grīnberga, Mārīte Margareta Dyachenko together with Kristīne Dyachenko and Jānis Leimanis. Following security measures, the sculpture of Lithuanian sculptors Viļis Šļuzelis and Irena Šļuzeliene was made in Siauliai and arrived to Jelgava completed. In previous years, the artists coordinated the themes of their work with the theme of the Sand sculpture festival, but this year the sculptures include natural and folklore motifs, but most importantly, they were created as a gratitude to A. Djačenko.

M. Brancis emphasizes that Pasta Island is a perfectl place for chamotte sculptures: “It is one of the attractions of the island. I see people walking in this place and in the evening the lighting gives the sculptures even more aesthetic value.”