The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia has announced a competition "Concept and Implementation of the Latvian Exposition at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale". The competition aims to select the most valuable concept of Latvia's exposition for the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale, the best architectural solution, and the implementation proposal for the exhibition, as well as the curator and project team, which will represent the Latvian contemporary architecture or the Latvian architectural heritage at the Venice Architecture Biennale.
The Latvian exposition is going to take place in Venice, in the historic premises of the Arsenale. Architects, designers, artists, creative interdisciplinary teams that are legal or natural persons or associations of persons are invited to participate in the competition. The selection process will be organised in two stages. The first three highest-ranked proposals for the concept and implementation of the Latvian exposition will be selected by the jury, and the highest-ranked winner will be invited to a negotiated procedure for the award of a procurement contract.
The total budget of the Latvian pavilion shall not exceed EUR 94 000 (excluding VAT). The Ministry of Culture is responsible for covering all costs of the Latvian pavilion and providing the rental of the premises necessary for the pavilion's implementation at the Arsenale.
The competition provides for a prize fund of EUR 4 000 (excluding VAT), where the 1st prize winner will receive EUR 2 000 (excluding VAT), while the 2nd place and 3rd place beneficiaries will each receive EUR 1 000 (excluding VAT).
The applications submitted will be evaluated by the jury of the following members: Niklāvs Paegle, chair of the jury, architect, co-founder of the architectural studio “ĒTER”, co-curator of the Baltic Pavilion for the 15th Venice Biennale; Linda Leitāne, chair of the board of the Latvian Association of Architects, co-curator of the Latvian exposition at the 14th Venice Biennale; Elīna Lībiete, architect (architect’s office "NRJA"), co-curator of the Latvian exposition at the 17th Venice Biennale; Jānis Lejnieks, architect, editor-in-chief of the magazine "Latvijas Architektūra";
Ingūna Elere, designer, chair and leading designer of the Design Studio "H2E", professor at the Art Academy of Latvia.
The 18th International Architecture Exhibition will take place from May 20th to November 26th,2023. The title of the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023 is
The Laboratory of the Future. The curator and artistic director is Lesley Lokko, architect, academic, and novelist.
The Regulations of the competition of the Latvian exposition at the Venice Architecture Biennale can be found on the website of the Ministry.
Applicants can submit their proposals by 11 AM on 6 September, 2022. The proposals must be submitted in Latvian in person at the Ministry of Culture or sent by post.
Latvia has participated at the Venice Architecture biennale since 2002 and will be represented at the Venice Architecture Biennale with a national pavilion for the tenth time next year.
Latvia's pavilion “It's not for you! It's for the building” at the 17th Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition in 2021 was realised by the creative team of the architect’s office “NRJA” (No Rules Just Architecture).
For more information on the 2022 Venice Architecture Biennale, visit the Venice Biennale website.
Regulations of the competition (in Latvian):
https://www.km.gov.lv/lv/media/25730/download
https://www.eis.gov.lv/EKEIS/Supplier/Procurement/83974
Media information prepared by:
Dzintra Purviņa,
Department of Cultural Policy, Creative Industries Division, Design and Architecture Expert, Contact: Dzintra.Purvina@km.gov.lv
Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia,
www.km.gov.lv