On 2nd February in Gdansk the international jury chaired by Naomi Filmer awarded prizes and distinctions in the Amberif Design Award (Elektronos) Competition.
As many as 121 works were sent for this year’s International Contest for the Design of Jewellery with Amber – Amberif Design Award, organized by the Gdansk International Fair Co. The works were submitted by 96 artists from 13 countries: Finland, the USA, Germany, Italy, Canada, Bulgaria, Serbia, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and Poland. Such big number of works has constituted a second result in a 12-year history of this competition. Once again Polish artists proved that they understood a soul of Baltic amber very well.
The jury in the composition of: Naomi Filmer – a chairwoman (a jewellery designer, a lecturer at the Central St. Martins College of Art and Design), Ewa Zaremska-Czarny (a painter, a jewellery designer), Wilhelm Tasso Mattar (a jewellery designer), prof. Andrzej Pniewski (an interior designer, Architecture and Design Faculty at the Academy of Fine Arts Gdansk), Mariusz Drapikowski (a designer of jewellery and goldsmiths objects) not without some disputes debated an accuracy of subject presentation, its interpretations and an artistic value of individual works. The democratic voting resulted in the following prizes and off regulation distinctions:
The Main Prize in the amount of PLN 10,000 sponsored by Pawel Adamowicz, the Mayor of the City of Gdansk was awarded to Ewa Wedzikowska and Sebastian Konicz from Lodz (entry code 520317) for their narrative and symbolic interpretation of “Talisman”. They created a very personal piece of jewellery which tells some story. Its components accumulate symbolic values by joining together an intimate, handwritten message with amber, recycled ID tags and finally a photo. Together these components make a poetic and yet practical object – one can tie it or hang it from any chosen place. This is a classic version of a talisman.
The Amber Prize sponsored by the International Amber Association (2 kg of amber) was awarded to Jan Wiszniewski from Gizycko (entry code 740703). In contrast to the work which was awarded the Main Prize, the “F4 + alt” pendant has some technological reference. The keys borrowed from a computer keyboard present the “SHUT DOWN” command in a protective and spiritual meaning. Thanks to an appearance referring to a primitive totem and a cross this object provides a relation of some tension with technology.
The Silver Prize sponsored by the YES Bizuteria company (3 kg of silver) was given to Fabrizio Tridenti from Vasto, Italy (entry code 030664). The author was awarded this prize for the object which provides the broadest possibilities for interpretation out of the awarded three. The object consists of found and weathered components. Small amber lumps were framed in a rusty tin box that has its own history and mystery. This box refers to the ancient Roman custom of keeping figurines of ancestors and the Roman demigods protecting a household, but it also echoes Joseph Cornell’s austere and magical sculpture-boxes.
The Jury also decided to award 4 off regulation distinctions referring to associations which the topic “Talisman” bring to mind:
- Iwona Piotrowska, Lodz (entry code 240996) – for being figurative;
- Marta Flisykowska, Gdynia (entry code 080285) – for technology;
- Anna Koczyk, Karczew (entry code 300181) – for spirituality;
- Pawel Szott, Gdansk (entry code 160584) – for being sculpture-like.
Elektronos is currently the most conceptual and experimental competition connected with amber. Competition works are in a form of square charts with a design, a drawing or a photo of a finished object. The awarded works will be exhibited in March at the Amberif fair on the entresol of the amber hall, the works will be also published in the Fair Catalogue. Awarding the prizes will traditionally take place during the Gala of Fashion and Amber.
The Jury selected 19 works by the following artists to be published in the Amberif 2008 Fair Catalogue and for being exhibited:
Daniel Orlowski (Puck, Poland) 020422
Anna Chechlinska (Gdynia, Poland) 022385
Emilia Wozniak (Olkusz, Poland) 050804
Klementyna Pielaszkiewicz (Gdansk, Poland) 070877
Aleksandra Nieswiec (Tychy, Poland) 100570
Anna Barlik (Warsaw, Poland) 121926
Angelina Stoykova (Warna, Bulgaria) 132186
Karolina Bik (Mucharz, Poland) 140414
Joanna Babiarz (Grodzisk Maz., Poland) 160479
Małgorzata Kalinska (Szczecin, Poland) 230663
Fabrizio Tridenti (Vasto, Italy) 240862
Anna Turaj (Tarnobrzeg, Poland) 281172
Joanna Dumanowska (Gdansk, Poland) 335682
Michalina Owczarek (Lodz, Poland) 480139
Andrzej Mrozinski (Warsaw, Poland) 513824
Wacław Kupiec (Katowice, Poland) 561031
Paulina Binek (Gdansk, Poland) 699669
Maria Kołodziejczyk (Gdansk, Poland) 821030
Dorota Wietrzyk (Lodz, Poland) 840405
