Latvian jewelry artist from Riga, Māris Auniņš (1949) follows his family traditions: his father was a silversmith before World War II and Auniņš had an opportunity to observe and acquire the secret skills of a jeweler as a child. Later he studied at the Riga Secondary School of Applied Arts and in 1980 graduated from the Metal Design Department at the Estonian Academy of Arts in Tallinn.
Since 1978, Auniņš has exhibited in Latvia and abroad, particularly in Europe — Germany, France, UK, Denmark, Switzerland. His work is in the permanent collection of the Latvian National Museum of Art / Museum of Decorative Arts and Design.
The designer follows the traditions developed by the Bauhaus school in architecture and design: constructivism, minimalism and purity of form. He is one of the few jewelry designers in Latvia who himself cuts gemstones (aquamarine, topaz, quartz, rock crystal and others). Stones play a major role in the composition of his work. The creative process is unique, sometimes it uncovers unexpected options, and the result always brings surprise, as the natural peculiarities of stones dictate their own rules.
Auniņš’ jewelry is notable for its geometric lines and clear shapes, elegance and sophisticated modesty. It recalls constructive compositional features of architectural objects or a sculpture, only on a smaller scale. These jewelry items are long lasting, meant for all your life. They bring out the wearer's individuality, characterize the dynamism of our contemporary time and stand above the craze of changing fashion.
