Ojars SPARITIS

Professor Ojars SPARITIS Latvian Academy of Arts Kalpaka bulv. 13 Riga, LV 1867, Latvia Phone: + 371 67332202.  E- mail: lma@latnet.lv              osparitis@gmail.com

Born: November 28, 1955, Priekule, Liepaja district, Latvia

• Theory and history of Latvian architecture and art in connection with culture of neighbouring countries
• Town planning
• Military architecture and fortifications
• Sacral art and architecture,
• Iconology and emblematics
• Theory and practice of preservation and restoration of monuments of architecture

       Studies of Swedish archives resulted in focusing my scientific interest on development of fortifications in the Baltics and contacts between Sweden and Latvia during 17^th century

• The periodical division and chronology of Latvian art history, especially periods of the Renaissance and Mannerism, as well as problems of attribution by means of ornament, iconography, printed patterns and practical research in real object
• The phenomenon of “Baltic Germans” in the history of Latvia
• History of culture of “Hanseatic time” and German impact on the Latvian culture as mediators between Baltic states and Western Europe – new methodological approach to the research and interpretation.
• Expertise of the results and conception of main interior design in connection with the reconstruction of the House of Blackheads in Riga – well famous monument of gothic and renaissance architecture in Riga

Languages : Latvian, German, English,  Russian (proficient); Latin, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech (reading and translation skills)

• Professor, Latvian Academy of Arts, 1998  -
• Assistant Professor, Latvian Academy of Arts, 1992 - 1998
• Dr.habil.art., Riga, 1998
• Dr.art., Riga, 1997
• Doctoral studies at the University of Kiel (Germany) with stipend of DAAD, 1993
• Doctoral studies at the Latvian Academy of Arts, 1991 - 1994
• Master of Arts, 1990
• Latvian Academy of Arts (History and Theory of Art), 1981 - 1987
• University of Latvia (Faculty of Philology), 1974 - 1979

• President of Latvia authorized representative at the UNESCO, Latvian National Committee, 2010 -
• Chairperson of the Council of Experts, "Rigas Nami" Ltd. of the Riga City Council, 2010 -
• Architect, "Binders"" Ltd., 2007-2009
• Visiting Professor, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland. January-July 2000
• Executive Director, the Blacheads House complex, 1999 - 2007
• Professor, Head of the Department for doctoral studies, Latvian Academy of Arts, 1998 -
• Head of the Department for master studies, Latvian Academy of Arts, 1998 -
• Minister of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, 1995 - 1996
• Vice-Rector, Head of the Chair of History of Art, Latvian Academy of Arts, 1993-1995
• Senior Lecturer , Latvian Academy of Arts, 1986 - 1991
• Instructor for cultural monuments protection at the Central Council of the Latvian Nature and Monument Protection Society, 1981 - 1986
• Editor at the Scientific Library of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1979 - 1981

Qualifications

• DAAD grant for studies and guest lecturing at the University of Kiel , 1994, 1999
• Grant of the Swedish Institute and the Swedish Royal Academy for the search of prototypes  of the Blackheads House paintings as well as research at the State and military archives in Sweden, 1998, 2002, and 2006
• Grant of the British Academy for reserch in London, 2001, 2007
• Research grants of Lübeck's Gesellschaft zur Beförderung Gemeinnützinger Tätigkeit, 1996, 2010
• Experience in the cultural monuments research and restoration theory and practice, participation in international conferences and projects
• Member of the Council for the award of Doctoral degrees in the Latvian Academy of Arts and the Riga Technical university (Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning)
• Member of the ICOMOS Scientific Committee "Conservation Theory"
• Certificate of Personnel Management Course (30 hrs)
• Computer literacy

Honours and Awards

• Full Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 2004
• Corresponding Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1999
• The Order of White Rose (finland), Knight's Cross, 2009
• The Order of Leopold II (Belgium), Officer's Cross, 2007
• The Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands), Knight's Cross, 2006
• The Order "All Merito Republica Italiana" (Italy), Commander's Cross, 2004
• The Latvian Academy of Sciences and Public Joint Stock Company ''Grindex'' Prize, 2002
• The Riga Prize of the LAS and the Riga Prize Foundation, 2003
• Royal North Star Order (Sweden), Commander's Cross, 2001
• Medal of M.C.A. Boeckler-Stiftung "Mare Balticum", Germany, 2001
• Three Star Order Officer's Cross (Latvia), 2001
• Latvia State President's Letter of Gratitude, 1999

• Chair of the Board of the  Latvian Nature and Monument Protection Society
• Vice-chair of the Latvian-Baltic Germans Centre "Domus Rigensis"
• Vice-president of the Dante Alighieri Society in Latvia
• Member of ICOMOS
• Member of the Artists'  Union of Latvia
• Member of the VKPAI Council of Experts
• Chair of the Riga Municipality Council for Monuments
• Representative of State President at the UNESCO Latvian National Comission

• University of Kiel (1994), University of Jyvaskila (2000), University of Glasgow (2008), University of Tubingen (2009, 2010),  Florence Academy of Aet (2010).

• Manierisms (Mannerism), 1997, Riga: Latvijas Enciklopedija Press, 48 p. (in Latvian).
• Rīgas Doma vitrāžas. (The Riga Dom Cathedral Stained Glass), 1997, Riga, Premo,104 pp. (in Latvian, in English).
• Renesanses stilistiskais diapazons vizuālajās mākslās Latvijā XVI - XVII gadsimtā, Rīga: Nordik, 60 p.
• Usmas baznīca Rīgā, Latvijā, pasaulē. (The Usma Church in Riga, in Latvia, in the World), 1999, Riga: Zinatne Press, 170 pp. (in Latvian, in English, in German).
• Latvijas luterāņu dievnamu šodiena. (Latvian Lutheran Churches Today), 1999, Riga: Nordik, 290 pp. (in Latvian).
• Bornes baznīca (The Borne Church, Kirche zu Alt-Born), 2000, Riga, 56 pp. (in Latvian, English, German).
• Vācieši Latvijā,  II daļa "Vācu garīgās un materiālās kultūras vērtības Latvijā"(together with L.Dribins), 2000, Riga: Elpa, 86 - 229 p. (in Latvian).
• Rīgas pieminekļi un dekoratīvā tēlniecība. (Monuments and Decorative Sculpture in Riga), 2001, Riga: Nacionālais medicīnas apgāds, 160 p. (in Latvian).
• Rīga - Florence. Kultūras paralēles . (Riga  - Florence. Parallels of Culture), 2004, Riga: Jumava, 220 pp. (in Latvian).
• Rīgas arhitektūras astoņi gadsimti Eiropas kultūras spogulī. (Architecture of Riga. Eight Hundred Years Mirroring European Culture), 2005, Rīga: Nacionālais apgāds, 180 p. (in Latvian, in English).
• Rīgas pieminekļi un dekoratīvā tēlniecība. (Monuments and Decorative Sculpture in Riga), 2007, Riga: Nacionālais apgāds, 194 p. (in Latvian and English).
• Gleznotājs Edgars Vinters (together with H.J. Gerbers), 2009, Rīga: Zvaigzne, 180 p. (in Latvian).
• Versija par Jelgavas Sv.Trīsvienības baznīcu, 2011, Rīga: Zinātne (to be published in 2012 with the support of the Jelgava City Council).  

• Project of restoration and reconstruction of the Blackheads House, its interiors and furnishings, as well as marketing management of the institution (1997-2007)
• Head of the Art Council Expert Group for the municipality cultural institutions, since 2010
• Experience in the restoration of Latvia's monuments of sacral culture (churches of Priekule, Straupe, Strutele, Annenieki, Liepupe, Vijciems, St Peter's in Riga, church of Ressurrection /Riga Great Cemetery/), since 1998
• Experience, consultations and practice in the issues of restoration and interior furnishings for Latvia's manor buildings
• Expert in church restoration for Latvia's Ev. Lutheran Church
• Experience in architectural interiors of historical objects and cultural   monuments

Participation in international research projects

• Organization of the international conference "Hansa Yesterday - Hansa Tomorrow", Riga, 1998
• Organization of the scientific  conference of the XXI International Hansa Days, Riga,  7 - 10 June 2001
• "Disseminationof the Netherlands Culture in Europe" (Amsterdam, 1998-2002)
• "History of Urban development and Social Identity"(The Johns Hopkins University Press Baltimore@London; W.Wilson Center Press, Washingto. 2003)
• "Three Stars - Three Crowns". History, geography, economy and culture of the Baltic Sea Countries, Stockholm-Riga, 2000 - 2002
• "Roads of Gothic in Europe". Development of information catalogue in cooperation with tourist companies in Germamny, 2002
• "Reformation in Europe". Science research project in cooperation with   the universities of Tübingen and Greifswald, 2006 - 2011
• Member of the Curatorial Council of the annual "Backsteinbaukunst" congresses in Wismar, since 2006
• Member of the Curatorial Council of M.C.A. Boeckler Stiftung, Germany
• Member of the Curatorial Council of the Leipzig "Denkmal Messe", 2009 - 2012
• Member of the editorial board of the Tartu University journal "Baltic Journal of Art History"
• Member of the ICOMOS scientific commission for theory and philosophy of conservation and restoration, since 2005

Last update 01.03.2012