Mantvydas Lasinskas. Photos – Vidmantas Ilčiukas ©
Meno Niša Gallery invites visitors to the exhibition of the VIII International Biennial of Enamel Arts VILNIUS 2020 opening its doors on 16 March. In the exhibition, visitors will be able to see works of enamel art, including jewellery, metal and sculpture, authored by 30 artists from Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and Georgia.
“Over 15 years of enamel biennials organised by the Meno Niša Gallery, Vilnius has become a strong centre of enamel art, recognisable and well-known among Eastern and Western European capitals, enamel art professionals and fans. From the very outset, hundreds of enamel artists from more than 30 different countries and continents of the world have participated in the Vilnius biennial of enamel arts”, said Diana Stomienė, the head of the Meno Niša gallery which began almost 19 years ago.
Neringa Poškutė-Jukumienė
As highlighted by Marytė Dominaitė, a long-term curator of the biennial and a famous jeweller, the international biennial of enamel arts contributes to the visibility of the city of Vilnius and the Goldsmiths’ Workshop which is commemorating its 525 anniversary this year. According to Dominaitė, exhibitions of enamel biennials at the ‘Meno Niša’ Gallery has always received a lot of attention from visitors, and many lovers of enamel art have acquired works showcased in the exhibitions.
30 works of art were selected to participate in the International Biennial of Enamel Arts VILNIUS 2020. The works were evaluated and the winners were announced by an international jury consisting of the chairperson Dr Jurgita Ludavičienė, art critic, Dr Pillė Veljataga, philosopher and art critic, and Dr Irina Yu Perfilyeva (Russia), art critic.
By the decision of the jury, Šarūnė Žygienė, a long-term participant of the biennial, was awarded for new ideas in enamel art, Neringa Poškutė-Jukumienė was awarded for the conceptual enamel work, and the award for the traditional use of enamel technique went to Mantvydas Lasinskas. Official letters of thanks of the Mayor of Vilnius city were awarded to Dovilė Žydelienė for combining amber and enamel, Marytė Dominaitė for the relevance of idea, and Georgian artist Nikoloz Gamkhitashvili for the brightest debut.
Šarūnė Žygienė
“Artists obviously maintain a connection with a tradition which dates back to the first millennium BC and remains unforgotten over the centuries. On the other hand, the tradition would be difficult to forget – the luxury, beauty and demanding nature of this technique remain in the memory for long. Then again, artists use enamel to create contemporary conceptual works”, said the jury chairperson Dr Jurgita Ludavičienė.
The exhibition of the International Biennial of Enamel Arts VILNIUS 2020 will be open at Meno Niša from March 16. Visitors will also be able to acquire a catalogue of works by enamel biennial participants and works of art they like.
All of the works of biennial participants are available on the ‘Auksakalių Gildija’ (Goldsmiths’ Guild) website (including the online catalogue).
