Riga Photography Biennial – NEXT and ISSP Gallery announce an open call
Riga Photography Biennial – NEXT and ISSP Gallery announce an open call for the ‘Seeking the Latest in Photography!’ Award 2025
Until 6th October 2024, young artists from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are invited to submit their work for the Riga Photography Biennial – NEXT 2025 Award ‘Seeking the Latest in Photography!’. The winner of the award will be chosen by an international jury and will have an opportunity to hold a solo exhibition at the ISSP Gallery within the framework of the Riga Photography Biennial – NEXT 2025 (RPB – NEXT 2025) program held in spring, 2025, where the awarding of other laureates will also take place. The competition participants will also receive special prizes from ‘VV Foundation’ and the Lithuanian independent publishing initiative ‘NoRoutine Books’.
The winner of the prize will be determined by an international jury comprised of the art critic, historian and curator Adam Mazur (PL), the Artistic Director of Tallinn PhotomonthKulla Laas (EE), artist and curator Paulius Petraitis (LT), art historian and critic Santa Hirša (LV) and artist and curator of the ISSP Gallery Iveta Gabaliņa (LV).
Besides the main prize – an opportunity to hold a solo exhibition at the ISSP Gallery in Riga, the jury members will nominate five finalists (including the winner) who will present their work at the exhibition launch. The foundation ‘VV Foundation’ will choose a laureate for a 1000-euro monetary prize and an opportunity to spend a month working at their residency ‘PAiR’ (Pāvilosta Artist in Residency) in Pāvilosta, Latvia. The founders of the independent publishing initiative ‘NoRoutine Books’, Gytis Skudžinskas and Vilma Samulionyte (LT), will select one of the participants for their award – the opportunity to publish a photo book.
The winners of the RPB 2016 award ‘Seeking the Latest in Photography!’ were Vika Eksta (LV), Andrejs Strokins (LV) and Alissa Nirgi (EE). The 2018 winners were Diāna Tamane (LV), Taavi Suisalu (EE) and Kristīne Madjare (LV). In 2019, the award was received by Annija Muižule (LV). In 2021, Visvaldas Markevičius (LT) became the winner, and he also received the first award presented by the ‘VV Foundation’. The 2023 winner was Ieva Baltaduonytė, LT), but ‘VV Foundation’ award received Anna Dzērve (LV). The winners of the ‘NoRoutine Books’ award were Ieva Balode (LV) in 2016, Madara Gritāne (LV) in 2018, Reinis Lismanis (LV) in 2019, Kristīne Krauze-Slucka (LV) in 2021 and Armands Andže (LV) in 2023.
The Riga Photography Biennial (RPB) is an international contemporary art event, focusing on the analysis of visual culture and artistic representation. The term ‘photography’ in the title of the biennial is used as an all-embracing concept encompassing a mixed range of artistic image-making practices that have continued to transform the lexicon of contemporary art in the 21st century. The Riga Photography Biennial – NEXT offers visibility and provides a platform for promising young artists and helps to announce themselves to a wider audience and context. The NEXT festival edition taking place in spring 2025 is to be the fifth edition of the RPB – NEXT programme. More information: www.rpbiennial.com
ISSP is a platform for contemporary photography, art and education that is based in Latvia and operates internationally. Since its establishment in 2006, ISSP has been fostering an active photography scene in Latvia, educating the young generation of artists and promoting international exchange. With the opening of the ISSP Gallery in Berga Bazārs, 13 k-3 Marijas Street, Riga, ISSP has made its mark on the cultural map as the only space in Latvia dedicated to contemporary photography. More information: www.issp.lv
Partners: State Culture Capital Foundation, Riga State City Council, ‘VV Foundation’, ISSP Gallery, ‘NoRoutine Books’ (LT) and others.
Photo: Visvaldas Morkevičius
