This year, the award “Purvītis Award 2021” was won by the artist Amanda Ziemele for the solo exhibition “Quantum Hair Implants”.
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The winners of the award were determined by an international jury of seven professionals, evaluating the performance of eight finalists in their joint exhibition, which can be viewed by the general public from June 4 to August 8 in the Great Hall of the Latvian National Museum of Art (LNMM).
Eight artists and artists’ associations applied for the “Purvītis Prize 2021” this year – “Skuja Braden” for the exhibition “Samsāra”, Valdis Celms for the kinetic sculptures “Rhythms of Life” and “Positron”, Krista and Reinis Dzudzilo for the work “ZRwhdZ”, Kaspars Groš for the multimedia installation “Other Room”, Ieva Kraule-Kūna and Elīna Vītola for the project “Artists’ Crisis Center”, Rasa and Raitis Šmiti for the work “Atmospheric Forest”, Aija Zariņa for the solo exhibition “Wake up, wake up once, the free spirit” and Ziemele for solo exhibition “Quantum Hair Implants”.
Continuing the tradition started two years ago, a prize was awarded for a lifetime contribution to art. This year, the organizing committee of the “Purvītis Prize” has awarded it to the artist Maija Tabaka. The financial amount of the prize is 10,000 euros, excluding taxes.
“Skuja Braden” won the “Delphi” viewers’ sympathy award for the “Samsara” exhibition.
The winner of the “Purvītis Prize 2021” was announced by Māra Lāce, Director of LNMM, Jānis Zuzāns, Chairman of the Board of SIA “Alfor”, and Daniels Hags, Creative Director of the Cologne Art Fair, on behalf of the jury.
Lace noted that this is an extensive and reasoned decision of the majority and a convincingly reasoned opinion of the majority. The members of the jury have especially emphasized the high quality and diversity of all works of art.
“The jury acknowledged that Amanda offers a very contemporary work. The artist has created an open space for everyone, where there is not too much or what is missing. It gives a sense of freedom to everyone and everything. The experts thought that this work was not created for the purpose, to enter the art market, nor to last forever – it was born as an inevitable internal necessity, “says Lace.
The “Purvītis Prize” is awarded once every two years to one artist or group of artists who represent Latvian art with outstanding work, which is deeply connected with the events of its time and which has a link between modern life, spiritual ideals and absolute values. The winner of the award is the author who has received the highest evaluation of an expert and a specially formed international jury. The prize is 28,500 euros, including taxes. “Purvītis Award” is the largest award in the field of visual art in Latvia.
“Purvītis Award” was founded in the beginning of 2008 and is presented once in two years. Katrīna Neiburga received the first “Purvītis Award” in 2009 for the video work “Solitude”. The winner of the second “Purvītis Award” in 2011 became the artist Kristaps Ģelzis for a solo exhibition “Maybe”. The third “Purvītis Prize” was won by Andris Eglītis in February 2013 for the solo exhibition “Earthworks”, the fourth “Purvītis Prize” in 2015 was presented to Miķelis Fischer for the solo exhibition “Injustice”, while the fifth “Purvītis Prize” was received in February 2017 by Krišs Salmanis , Anna Salmane and Kristaps Pētersons for the work “Song”. In April 2019, Ieva Epnere received the sixth “Purvītis Award” for her work “Sea of Living Memories”.
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