"The Purvītis Prize 2025. Candidates’ exhibition"

The NINTH Purvītis Prize exhibition is on view in the Great Hall of the main building of the Latvian National Museum of Art in Riga (Jaņa Rozentāla laukums 1) from 12 April to 8 June 2025.

The exhibition comprises a spectacular display of paintings, graphics, sculptures, objects, and installations created by eight artists and groups of authors shortlisted by a panel of independent experts for the ninth Purvītis Prize for outstanding achievement in visual art of Latvia in 2023 and 2024. The candidates are Indriķis Ģelzis, Romāns Korovins, Ieva Kraule-Kūna, Inga Meldere and Luīze Nežberte, Luīze Rukšāne, Krišs Salmanis, Elza Sīle, Paula Zvane. The exhibition is curated by Daiga Rudzāte.

In all, 24 artists / collectives of artists, whose works have been recognised as important events within Latvia’s visual art scene during the period from 1 January 2023 until 31 December 2024, were nominated for the final competition of the Purvītis Prize 2025.

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The Purvītis Prize 2025 candidates

Indriķis Ģelzis has been nominated for the Watery Day’s Eye solo exhibition at the Kim? Contemporary Art Centre (25.08.–08.10.2023).

Romāns Korovins has been nominated for the Let’s Die Together solo exhibition at the Rothko Museum in Daugavpils (01.03.–19.05.2024).

Ieva Kraule-Kūna has been nominated for the Glutton solo exhibition at the 427 Gallery (27.09.–03.11.2024).

Inga Meldere and Luīze Nežberte have been nominated for the Sunpoles duo exhibition at the Kim? Contemporary Art Centre (21.09.–01.11.2024).

Luīze Rukšāne has been nominated for the Folding Lines solo exhibition at the art space TUR_telpa (19.01.–17.02.2024).

Krišs Salmanis has been nominated for the Bitter solo exhibition at the Kim? Contemporary Art Centre (05.05.–11.06.2023).

Elza Sīle has been nominated for the Bunny’s Banya / Fear & Trembling solo exhibition at the exhibition hall Riga Contemporary Art Space (07.09.–27.10.2024).

Paula Zvane has been nominated for the Invisible solo exhibition at the LOOK! Gallery (02.–24.02.2024).

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The Purvītis Prize

The Purvītis Prize is the most prestigious and the most substantial visual art award in Latvia. Founded in January 2008, the Purvītis Prize was launched to amass regular and systematic information about the latest visual arts events in Latvia, promote development of new projects and original ideas, acknowledge the best achievements in Latvian professional visual arts and popularise the success of Latvian artists both in Latvia and abroad.

The award is named after the Old Master of Latvian painting Vilhelms Purvītis (1872–1945). He was an outstanding artist and art professor who won critical acclaim both at home and internationally. A wise and farsighted culture politician, Vilhelms Purvītis was an active supporter of the young artists of the time and discovered a number of talented painters who later played important roles on the Latvian art scene. The name of Vilhelms Purvītis has become a sign of national identity, both in the history of Latvian art and in the eyes of the general public.

The Purvītis Prize competition in visual arts is organised by the Latvian National Museum of Art in co-operation with SIA Alfor and SIA Culture Project Agency ‘INDIE’ (Kultūras projektu aģentūra “INDIE”). Along with the presentation of the 9th Purvītis Prize, SIA Alfor and Jānis Zuzāns conclude collaboration with the Purvītis Prize institution.

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About Latvian National Museum of Art

The Latvian National Museum of Art is the most important art museum in Latvia and the first building in the Baltics designed specifically for the needs of an art museum. The museum's building is an architectural monument of national significance. It is one of the most impressive historicist buildings in the Riga Boulevard Circle.