The organisers of the second iteration of the Art Criticism Awards – Contemporary Art Centre, LNMA National Gallery of Art, and the online contemporary art magazine Artnews.lt – are delighted to announce the shortlisted nominees (published below) and invite readers to become acquainted with 2023’s most prominent initiatives and contributors to visual art criticism in Lithuania.
From 14 February to 17 March writers, publishers, editors, readers, artists, viewers, and listeners submitted their nominations for the Art Criticism Awards. A total of 136 nominations were received in four categories: Short Form, Long Form, Texts by Artists and Curators, and Phenomenon of the Year. The shortlists of nominees have been selected by this year’s jury comprising art critics Monika Krikštopaitytė and Helmutas Šabasevičius, cultural commentator and film critic Monika Gimbutaitė, and two recipients of last year’s awards, artists Aurelija Maknytė and Agnė Jokšė.
When considering the SHORT FORM nominations this year, both the proposers and the jury seem to have paid more attention to the review as a specific genre. The shortlist, was carefully chosen to be reflective of the different approaches to examining the viewer’s or narrator’s relationship to the exhibition in question. The jury has acknowledged both the texts that become works of art themselves, and those that evidence in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, and demonstrate an ability to step back and look critically, with a curious eye, at what the exhibition produces by encountering the audience and the context. It was not only important to include texts about the vitality of local centres but also a gaze directed toward the wider region and contexts.
Similarly, in assessing contenders for the LONG FORM category, the concern was to cover the variety of expressions of art criticism that create a deeper or broader relationship with phenomena, which can unfold powerfully in an exquisitely crafted conversation, or unwind as if in casual conversation, be evident in the book’s dialectically structured structure, or find inventive suggestions in the seemingly unmistakable cobwebs of love and hate, open up in the exploration of complex themes or by listening attentively to authors already known.
TEXTS BY ARTISTS AND CURATORS differ from texts of art criticism first of all in their locus of speech. They do not come from ‘the side’ but are themselves narrators, characters, and voices, who are not bound by arguments but would perish without their persuasiveness. Sometimes they speak constructively, sometimes from a distance and ironically, and sometimes to the point of chilling nakedness.
In thinking about the PHENOMENON OF THE YEAR, the intention was to highlight what constitutes the foundations of art criticism: the need for freedom and empathy, the promotion of empowerment and rights, and the development of self-esteem through professional conversation. The curatorial discussion series ‘Taking the Longer Road’ was noted for its focus on bringing intergenerational players from the field of art criticism together for a vibrant dialogue and focusing on more complex issues; the initiative to discuss fair pay, as it is relevant to the future of both art criticism and curatorship; and the interdisciplinary project ‘Obscene West’ for its resilience to intolerance, and the actualisation of queer memory through creative means.
The second Art Criticism Awards ceremony will take place at the National Art Gallery on the evening of 1 June 2024. The recipients will be presented with cash prizes worth 900 euros and be awarded with statuettes created by the artist Ona Juciūtė.
The candidates for the awards are (in alphabetical order):
SHORT FORM
PAULIUS ANDRIUŠKEVIČIUS for the text Pradilęs kurpalis and saldus bučinys. Lauros Kaminskaitės and Onos Juciūtės paroda „Kaip aš įėjau į kambarį pro duris” erdvėje „Editorial“. (A Worn-out Shoe and a Sweet Kiss. Laura Kaminskaitė and Ona Juciūtė’s Exhibition ‘How I Walked Into the Room Through the Door’ at Editorial). Artnews.lt, 27.06.2023
AGNĖ BAGDŽIŪNAITĖ for the text Greetings from Eastern Europe. Letter to the Curator of ‘Goodbye, East! Goodbye, Narcissus!’. Echogonewrong.com, 11.07.2023
JOGINTĖ BUČINSKAITĖ for the text Žodžiais nusausinta pelkė (A Swamp Drained by Words). Lrt.lt, 26.09.2023
IEVA GRAŽYTĖ for the text Betarpiški centro and regiono santykiai. Projektas „Betarpiškos erdvės“ Užpalių miestelyje. (Close Relationship Between the Centre and the Region. The Project ‘Interactive Spaces’ in Užpaliai). Artnews.lt, 05.09.2024
ERIKA GRIGORAVIČIENĖ for the text Rankinės prieš mėsmalę. Kosto Dereškevičiaus tapybos and piešinių paroda „ne(GRAŽUS) gyvenimas“ galerijoje „Akademija“. (Handbags Against the Meat Grinder. Kostas Dereškevičius’ Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings ‘un(BEAUTIFUL) life’ at Akademija Gallery). 7 meno dienos, No. 21 (1470), 26.05.2023
MONIKA KALINAUSKAITĖ for the text Nuogas miestas pasaulio naktyje. Gedimino G. Akstino paroda „Nuogaliai“ Radvilų rūmų dailės muziejuje (A Naked City in the Night of the World. Gediminas G. Akstinas’ Exhibition ‘Naked’ at the Radvila Palace Art Museum). Artnews.lt, 27.02.2023
MARIJA MARTINAITYTĖ for the text Dingę Vilniaus labirintai. Paroda „Vilniaus pokeris“ MO muziejuje (The Lost Labyrinths of Vilnius. Exhibition ‘Vilnius Poker’ at the MO Museum). 7 meno dienos, No. 21 (1470), 26.05.2023
VIKTORIJA MIŠTAUTAITĖ for the text Sugertukai. Paroda „Šaudyklė and ruoželis“ Anastazijos ir Antano Tamošaičių galerijoje „Židinys“ (Absorbents. Exhibition ‘Šaudyklė and ruoželis’ at Anastazija and Antanas Tamošaičiai Gallery “Židinys”). 7 meno dienos, No. 10 (1459), 10.03.2023
JL MURTAUGH for the text Dalinai užpelkinta. Nomedos ir Gedimino Urbonų paroda „Dalinai užpelkinta institucija“ Nacionalinėje dailės galerijoje (Partially Swamped. ‘Partially Swamped Institution’ by Nomeda and Gediminas Urbonas at the National Gallery of Art). Artnews.lt, 13.10.2023 (English version published by Echo Gone Wrong, 19.10.2023)
AGNĖ NARUŠYTĖ for the text Vėluoju siųsti atviruką. 14-oji Kauno bienalė „Artumo geografija“ apie menamą Rytų Europos and Afrikos draugystę (I’m Late Sending a Postcard. The 14th Kaunas Biennial ‘Long-distance Friendships’ on Imaginary Friendship Between Eastern Europe and Africa). 7 meno dienos, No. 27 (1476), 01.09.2023
MONIKA PAKERYTĖ for the text Avis ir kiti. Kazimiero Brazdžiūno parodų diptikas „Avis“ and „Kulminacija“ galerijoje „The Rooster gallery“ and „Lewben Art Foundation“ patalpose (Avis and Others. Kazimieras Brazdžiūnas’ Diptych of Exhibitions ‘Avis’ and ‘Culmination’ at the Rooster Gallery and Lewben Art Foundation). 7 meno dienos, No. 17 (1466), 28.04.2023
ERNESTAS PARULSKIS for the text Pamačius spektaklį, dėl parodos neverkiama (When You See a Play, You Don’t Cry About an Exhibition). Verslo klasė, 13.08.2023
LONG FORM
DEIMANTĖ BULBENKAITĖ and AUDRIUS POCIUS for the radio series Puota on Radio Vilnius
VYTAUTAS GEČAS, MONIKA LIPŠIC and MARIJA PUIPAITĖ for the catalogue Nematomi. Istoriniai baldai iš šiuolaikinio dizaino perspektyvos (The Invisibles. Historic Furniture from a Contemporary Design Perspective). Lithuanian National Museum of Art, 2023
VILMA GRADINSKAITĖ for the catalogue Litvakų dailininkai Paryžiuje (Litvak Artists in Paris). Lithuanian National Museum of Art, 2023
GIEDRĖ JANKEVIČIŪTĖ and ANDRZEJ SZCZERSKI for the catalogue Vilnius, Wilno, Vilne 1918–1948. Vienas miestas – daug pasakojimų (Wilno, Vilnius, Vilne 1918–1948. One City – Many Stories). Lithuanian National Museum of Art, 2023
RAMINTA JONYKAITĖ, HAROLDAS KLEVINSKAS, ALEKSAS MATVEJEVAS and TOMAS PABEDINSKAS for the video series on photography Perspektyva. Fotografijos menas and kasdienybė (Perspective. The Art and Everyday Life of Photography) on LRT Plus.
RŪTA JUNEVIČIŪTĖ for the book Aisopika / Aesopica. Ariel Ink, 2023.
LAIMA KREIVYTĖ for the radio series Homo cultus. Iš balkono (Homo Cultus. From the Balcony) on LRT Klasika
DOVYDAS LAURINAITIS for the series of reviews of the first Vilnius Biennial of Performance Art (I, II, III). Echogonewrong.com, 06.09.2023, 12.09.2023
ILONA MAŽEIKIENĖ and REGINA URBONIENĖ for the book Žibuntas Mikšys. Kad būt sugrįžtama / Hoping for a Homecoming / Pour qu‘on revienne. Lithuanian National Museum of Art, 2023
RŪTA MIŠKINYTĖ for the book Vilkas, bokštas ir bažnyčia. Vilniaus suvenyrai (Wolf, Tower and Church. Vilnius Souvenirs). Lapas, 2023
DAIVA PRICE for the magazine Memory as a Journal. Lithuanian Culture Institute, 2023
EGLĖ MARIJA ŽELVYTĖ for the video interview series Pokalbiai muziejuje (Talks at the Museum) produced by the Lithuanian National Museum of Art
TEXTS BY ARTISTS AND CURATORS
ALFONSAS ANDRIUŠKEVIČIUS for the text Gyvenimo slinksmas sausio mėnesį (The Slow Pace of Life in January). Šiaurės Atėnai, 27.01.2023, No. 2
JOGINTĖ BUČINSKAITĖ for the annotation of Tomas Daukša’s solo exhibition Summer of Eternal Love at The Rooster Gallery
JURIJ DOBRIAKOV for the annotation of the graduation exhibition of the students from the Department of Photography, Animation and Media Art, Vilnius Academy of Arts Kalnai ir griovos (Mountains and Ravines) at Prospekto Gallery and Vilnius Photography Gallery
FANTASTIC LITTLE SPLASH for the text Kuo mažiau pamiršti save (To Forget Oneself as Little as Possible). Artnews.lt, 28.12.2023
VAIVA GRAINYTĖ for the text Sraigtiniai laiptai (Spiral Stairs). Metai, 2023 No. 12
MONIKA KALINAUSKAITĖ for a speech given during the first Visual Art Criticism Awards ceremony and later published under the title Veidrodžių miškas žodžių miške (A Forest of Mirrors in the Forest of Words). 15min.lt, 02.06.2023
DANIEL MUZYCZUK for the annotation of Anastasia Sosunova’s exhibition DIY at Editorial
PAULINA PUKYTĖ for the text “Aš stengiuosi” (I Am Trying), read by the author during the performance ‘Storytelling and Other Opinions’ at the ArtVilnius art fair
DARIUS ŽIŪRA for the text Vilniaus skvotai ir Paryžius devyniasdešimtiniais pagal Darių Žiūrą (Vilnius Squats and Paris in the 1990s According to Darius Žiūra). Literatūra ir menas, No. 3780 / 20, 17.11.2023
PHENOMENON OF THE YEAR
GODA AKSAMITAUSKAITĖ for curating the discussion series ‘Taking the Longer Road’ organised by the LNAM National Gallery of Art and Kultfliuksas
Curators AGNĖ BAGDŽIŪNAITĖ and EDVINAS GRINKEVIČIUS for the interdisciplinary project ‘Obscene West’ organised by Kaunas Artists’ House
LITHUANIAN INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTISTS’ ASSOCIATION, LITHUANIAN ARTISTS’ ASSOCIATION, LITHUANIAN PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION and the author of the study TADAS ŠARŪNAS for the initiative to discuss equitable remuneration for artists
The Art Criticism Awards and the accompanying series of events are curated by the CAC curators Virginija Januškevičiūtė and Edvardas Šumila, editor of Artnews.lt Danutė Gambickaitė, and the curator of the public programme at the LNAM National Gallery of Art Goda Aksamitauskaitė.
In anticipation of the award night, we invite you to take part in other events organised in their context. A public talk by the curator and writer Raimundas Malašauskas will take place on Friday, 17 May at 6.30 pm at Sapieha Palace. Writers will soon be invited to book a private session with editors of cultural media – Vaida Stepanovaite, Marius Burokas, and/or Anders Kreuger – scheduled for 28 May.