Sculpture

Auzers Olegs (1950)

The Renaissance of the 21st Century

Oleg Auzers was born in Latvia, Riga into an old family of artists. He created his first toy ship at preschool age while visiting his grandfather Vilis Liepins in Limbazi. As a teenager, Oleg turned to Tibetan medicine and philosophy, and at the age of 20, he studied astrophysics and quantum mechanics. After serving in the army, his mother insisted that her son work as a cove at the Riga Jewelry Factory. Once he mastered the craft, he worked at the company "Dailrade" and studied at the Moscow Institute of Applied Arts.
"When I first saw Fabergé's works, I felt that I wanted to surpass him. In silver crafting, I am more interested in the living world, as it encompasses everything – composition, proportions, and playful details. For example, in the 128 cm tall and 20 kg heavy fruit bowl created in 2001, which was the first work in the restored silver collection of the House of Blackheads, alongside fruits, flowers, and leaves, you can also see a little spider, a dragonfly, a beetle, a butterfly, a frog, a snail, and even a little worm that has crawled out of an apple. In creating the bowl, I used both ancient and my own developed silver processing techniques," says Oleg.
Now, the silver bowls, vessels, brooches, and other lovely items crafted by him adorn the cabinets of the Queen of England, the Emperor of Japan, the President of the United States, the Chancellor of Germany, and other important figures. They are found in the collections of many museums and form the basis of the silver collection of the House of Blackheads in Riga.

"In art, the main thing is the message. Technique is just the shell of the message; mastery is merely a way to convey the message, receiving confirmation or denial from another person in return. Wearing a high-quality silver ornament, a person organizes themselves. When preparing the ornament, it is best for me to see in advance the person who will wear it, as this allows me to convey the message. I also choose my clients. I always want to create something beautiful for those from whom goodness comes, not just for those who pay more. The brooch I made was worn by Queen Elizabeth II of England for three whole days, not just one, as etiquette dictates," smiles the jeweler.
The artist is in the prime of his strength. Classic-sized works and ornaments have gradually been replaced by grandiose silver compositions that significantly exceed the traditional jeweler's repertoire in their mode of expression. The complexity and delicacy of the works place them among sculpture, graphics, and painting, while the philosophical subtext makes them splendid allegories, unique essays in silver.