On February 25, with the performance by Ojārs Feldbergs, a restored interior object of the Pedvāle International Artists’ Residency was opened – a 19th century chest. Restoration works were carried out by restorer Uģis Baļļa and blacksmith Ainars Rullis. The restoration works were carried out with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.
The opening performance was inspired by a meeting with the former owner of the manor, the representative of the Fircks family – Wolf-Dietrich Freiherr von Fircks-Burgstaller, who shared his memories about this chest. It is said to be opened twice a year, when the winter and summer seasons changed. Since it is so big and it is very inconvenient to take things in and out of it, usually a child was selected from the manor family, who was placed in the chest and helped with this process. To keep the clothes fresh and protected from pests, a thick layer of lavender was put between the layers of clothes.
At the opening, these steps were repeated in a performative way, placing pieces of winter season clothes in the chest and taking out summer season clothes from it.
