Art Academy Award 2016
On November 9, 2016, during a formal award ceremony at the Latvian Academy of Art, the laureates of the Art Academy Award 2016 were announced. This prestigious award, along with the Boriss and Ināra Teterevi Patrons’ Prize, was granted to distinguished LAA graduates, including the director of the Latvian National Museum of Art, Māra Lāce.
The Art Academy Award was established to recognize and celebrate outstanding achievements in the fields of Latvian visual arts, design, and art history.
Creative drive, a pursuit of excellence, and determination to implement new valuable ideas are qualities we have always highly appreciated. We are pleased to support the achievements of Latvia’s outstanding artists and contribute to the development of high-quality art,
expressed patrons Boriss and Ināra Teterevi.
The jury chairman, LAA Vice-Rector Andris Teikmanis, described the Art Academy Award 2016 laureate, Māra Lāce:
"Māra Lāce is an exceptional figure in Latvia’s art and cultural scene. Since 1989, she has led the State Art Museum, and since 2005, the Latvian National Museum of Art. Under her leadership, the museum’s role in Latvia has significantly evolved. Thanks to her efforts, the Latvian National Museum of Art has become a center for the preservation, research, and promotion of artistic and cultural values. In addition to her work as museum director, Māra Lāce has held key positions that have contributed to the advancement of the arts and culture, notably as a patron of the Latvian Cultural Canon. Among her most significant achievements is overseeing the reconstruction of the LNMA main building, its reopening, and the launch of a new permanent exhibition and exhibition program, as well as the relocation of the museum’s collection to its historic building. For her long-standing contributions to the development of Latvia’s arts and museum sector, and for enhancing Latvia’s international image, Māra Lāce has received numerous prestigious awards from Latvia and abroad. In 2005, she was awarded the Order of Three Stars, and since 2015, she has been an honorary member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences."
Candidates for the award were nominated by sixteen LAA departments, evaluating graduates’ contributions to Latvian culture, their role in increasing international recognition, and their impact on academic arts education. The award is open to graduates of any field who are not currently LAA faculty, students, or staff. Nominees were selected in three age categories: under 35 years, 35 to 65 years, and over 65 years. The 2016 award winners received the LAA Golden Crown and a €2,000 Boriss and Ināra Teterevi Patrons’ Prize.
2016 Latvian Art Academy Award Nominees
65+ years category: Baņuta Ancāne, Pēteris Sidars, Helga Ingeborga-Melnbārde, Arnolds Vilbergs, Gunārs Glūdiņš, Helēna Heinrihsone.
35–65 years category: Māra Lāce, Pauls Pudžs, Daneks Sietiņš, Modris Svilāns, Rolands Krutovs, Aira Lesiņa, Artis Nīmanis, Krišs Salmanis, Ilze Raudiņa.
Under 35 years category: Atis Jākobsons, Jānis Noviks, Ingūna Levša, Kate Krolle, Sigita Olte, Ernests Vītiņš, Reinis Dzudzillo, Inese Vēriņa-Lubiņa.
Since 2011, the Art Academy Award has been granted every two years to distinguished representatives of the arts, design, and art history, whose achievements serve as an inspiration for emerging artists and researchers. Previous recipients include painter Džemma Skulme, art historian Laima Slava, and painter Jānis Avotiņš (2011), as well as artist, art historian, and Rundāle Palace Museum director Imants Lancmanis, artists Anita Paegle and Kaspars Podnieks (2014). Boriss and Ināra Teterevi have co-financed the award since its establishment.