Winners announced for the Martinsons Award
Photo: Didzis Grodzs
Photoreport / The Martinsons Award 2023 International Juried Exhibition at the Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre
The Martinsons Award 2023 International Juried Exhibition is the star event of the Latvia Ceramics Biennale and a tribute Pēteris Martinsons – the distinguished Latvian ceramicist celebrated as the father of Latvian professional contemporary ceramics. The competition is open to artists from all over the world and welcomes submissions that embrace innovative techniques, demonstrate strong stylistic individualism and send a compelling creative message.
This year, the award ran with the theme “Troubled Waters” and received a record 685 applications from 71 countries. An international jury selected 64 best submissions, which yielded 59 exhibits for the sweeping final show.
The jury assessed the artworks in the National and International category to distribute a prize fund of 20.000 EUR.
Martinsons Award 2023 National Laureates:
Gold Prize: SANITA ĀBELĪTE, Behind the Mirror
Sanita Ābelīte. Behind the Mirror
Silver Prize: DAINIS LESINS, In Search of the Lost World
Dainis Lesins. In Search of the Lost World
Bronze Prize: HARALD JEGODZIENSKI, Flintstone #22;
Haralds Jegodzienskis. Flintstone #22
Honorary Mentions: OLGA MELEHINA-ZOLOTOVA, 24 Hours before Disappearance; JUTA RINDINA, Benign Sample Catalogue (Collection through the Ages)
Olga Melehina-Zolotova. 24 Hours before Disappearance
Juta Rindina. Benign Sample Catalogue
Martinsons Award 2023 International Laureates:
Gold Prize: MILENA PIRŠTELIENĖ (Lithuania), Panic Rooms
Milena Pirštelienė. Panic rooms
Silver Prize: ZIWEN XU (China), Bonsai. Ritual
Ziwen Xu. Bonsai. Ritual
Silver Prize: MÁRTA RADICS (Hungary), Cave Creek
Marta Radics. Cave Creek
Honorary Mentions: REMY DUBIBE (France), Under...Lines; KAITING CHAN (Taiwan) Tears
Remy Dubibe. Under...Lines
Kaiting Chan. Tears
The jury panel:
Valentīns Petjko (Latvia) – artist, curator for the Latvia Ceramics Biennale;
Dainis Pundurs (Latvia) – artist, educator, Martinsons Award 2021 National Winner;
Agnė Šemberaitė (Lithuania) – artist, curator, Martinsons Award 2021 International Winner;
Vasi Hirdo (Romania) – editor-in-chief at Ceramics Now;
Claudia Casali (Italy) – art historian, director of the International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza;
Ilona Romule (Latvia) – artist, member of the International Academy of Ceramics in Geneva (former board member);
Andreia Vale Lourenco (Portugal) – curator for the Aveiro International Biennial of Artistic Ceramics;
Gaëlle Cornut (Belgium) – artistic director at Ceramic Art Andenne.
The Latvia Ceramics Biennale dates back to 2016 and is organised by the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Ceramics in cooperation with the Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre. As the only event on such a massive scale in Eastern Europe, it has brought Latvia broad international fame.
The 4th Latvia Ceramics Biennale programme will continue through 28 October.
Photos: Didzis Grodzs
