News
2018-11-27
Two paintings from the Young Painter Prize Awards enter our collection
This November the Young Painter Prize competition celebrated its 10th anniversary. From 72 participating artists, international jury selected 15 finalists to compete for the main prize. After the awards evening, the Lewben Art Foundation has acquired two artworks, "Coach Potato" by Liisa Kruusmagi (Estonia) and "Melancholy" by Sandra Strēle (Latvia). Sandra Strēle is the first Latvian artist to enter the collection.
Young Painter Prize is one of the most important art events in the Baltic countries, held since 2009. This project combines the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian young artists a common goal – to present their national identity, art school practices and personal creative potential. According to art critics, the project has become a kind of Baltic younger generation painting chronicler, an important platform for young artists.
We have been supporting the Young Painter Prize Awards for the last six years.
These acquisitions not only support emerging artists but also add female artists to the collection. Over the last few years the Foundation has acquired around 40 works by female artists. The project ‘A Room of One’s Own’ and, most importantly, the upcoming book served as yet another impetus to focus on female artwork and to buy more of it.
