Unearthing layers of earth, melting, shaping, and creating for the future. The practices of Germans Ermičs and Artis Nīmanis differ, so do the materials they use, yet both are among the most internationally acclaimed Latvian designers. What unites them is their dedication to materiality, though they each follow different personal and creative paths. Ermičs’ “magic of material and colour” emerges from glass, marble, and metal – he moves freely between the Netherlands, Latvia, and Portugal, as well as between the disciplines of design and visual art. Meanwhile in Latvia, under the brand “an&angel” Nīmanis deconstructs the concept of glass – in each of his pieces, he breathes a sense of the presence of nature.

How do you reveal an idea through material, and is an object itself a new space? The two portrayed figures, Ermičs and Nīmanis, like Sisyphus, are rolling their stone uphill to create design excellence. Director Lasmane-Brože takes the audience behind the scenes of the work of these two contemporary design pioneers – exploring a pink marble quarry and glass polishing, creative experiments and the flourishing of human ingenuity. For the viewer it is a meditative experience, peering into author design and industrial design – no matter how different the journeys of Ermičs and Nīmanis may be, they leave a lasting thought: every object, dishware item, and design element is an idea, behind which stands someone who has conquered a battle with nature, physics, and themselves. This documentary is part of the extensive Mission: Latvian project, focussing on internationally recognised Latvians from various fields.