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The results of Liepāja 2027 design competition for the creation of the interactive environmental urban art installation “Pavējā pretvējā” have been revealed. On 18 December, at the “Liepāja 2027” Foundation’s office in Dārza iela 4/8, the jury convened to announce their decision and unveil the authors behind the winning submissions. The top prize was awarded to the design with the motto “UNI42,” created by Krišs Salmanis. This competition was launched to inspire the creation of an innovative and artistically refined environmental object that integrates seamlessly into Liepaja’s urban landscape. The installation is set to mark the city’s 400th anniversary in 2025 and play a key role in the European Capital of Culture 2027 program.
The jury awarded the top prize of €4,000 to Krišs Salmanis, while the second and third prizes of €3,000 and €2,000 were presented to the architect Zane Vēja from the SIA “BRK projekti” Ltd, and Mārtiņš Rozenfelds with the firm “Metafose”, respectively. Additionally, two incentive prizes of €500 each were granted to SIA “SKARPELIS” Ltd, (sculptor Igors Dobičins) and Egons Peršēvics. The total estimated cost of the environmental installation is projected to be up to €60,000, inclusive of all applicable taxes.
The installation is planned for a location in the heart of Liepāja, at the currently vacant square at the intersection of the streets Graudu iela and Kūrmājas prospekts. The winning design, titled “Pūtiens,” (Gust) by Krišs Salmanis captured the jury’s attention with its minimalist mirror-metal sculpture: a three-meter-diameter ring/lifebuoy standing slightly tilted, giving the impression of a frozen movement moment in time. From one angle, it appears as a sleek, reflective surface, mirroring its surroundings and emphasizing Liepaja’s unique architectural character. From another perspective, it transforms into an inflatable floating object with a whimsical unicorn’s head, bringing humour and a sense of summer lightness to the urban space. The sculpture will be crafted from 316L stainless steel, a durable and corrosion-resistant material commonly used in public art, maritime and medical applications
“The overwhelming response to the competition, with 21 submissions from both Latvian and international artists, has been truly inspiring,” shares Baiba Bartkeviča, board member for artistic affairs at “Liepāja 2027” and chair of the jury commission. Reflecting on the winning design, she continues, “This whimsical floating ring, as if carried by the gusts of wind from the sea and playfully bumping its way onto the city lawn, is a masterpiece of humour and summery charm. Its soft, rounded form and reflective surface beautifully interact with the surrounding architecture, creating a visual dialogue while celebrating Liepaja’s identity as a resort city full of leisure, freedom, and coastal spirit. I am thrilled to see how this sculpture, with its elegance, can infuse a fresh, contemporary energy into the cityscape, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in our urban narrative.”
Krišs Salmanis, winner of the Purvītis Prize, is an artist who graduated from the Visual Communication Department of the Art Academy of Latvia. He further continued his studies at the Cologne Academy of Media Arts and had the opportunity to work as an artist-in-residence in Kamiyama, Japan. Over the years, Salmanis has held more than 15 solo exhibitions both in Latvia and internationally, including as representing Latvia at the 2013 Venice Biennale, alongside Kristaps Podnieks. He has been nominated for the Purvītis Prize multiple times (2011, 2013, 2021) and won the prestigious award in 2017 for his exhibition “Dziesma” (Song) created in collaboration with Anna Salmane and Kristaps Pētersons. Salmanis’ works are part of the collections of the Latvian National Museum of Art, the Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art, the Central and Eastern European Video Art Archive, and the Estonian Museum of Art.
The competition aims to introduce a distinctive large-scale environmental art installation into Liepaja’s urban landscape, capturing the essence of the city as a place shaped by the wind. This project not only celebrates Liepaja’s 400th anniversary in 2025 but also sets the stage for its role as the European Capital of Culture in 2027, embodied by the theme of (un)rest.
The international 7-people jury received 21 bids in total. The jury was chaired by Baiba Bartkeviča, Member of the Board of the Liepāja 2027 Foundation, and vice-chaired by Uģis Kaugurs, Liepāja Municipality Chief Architect. Other jury members include: Inguna Elere, Liepāja 2027 ambassador, co-founder of the design studio H2E, and professor at the Art Academy of Latvia; Ieva Rubeze, artist and curator; Kristiāna Kārkliņa, director of the Sculpture Quadrennial Riga programme and curator; Norbert Weber, contemporary art consultant and curator; Anna Priedola, assistant professor at RTU Liepāja and director of the study programme New Media Art and Design. The executive secretary of the jury commission is Eva Ciekurze, member of the board of the Liepāja 2027 Foundation.
The bids were assessed on their interpretation of the theme “Pavējā pretvējā,” with the phrase “Pavējā pretvējā” creatively expressing the Latvian word for wind, “vējš,” into a dynamic expression, merging the contrasting moods of being windswept and moving against the wind. The evaluation criteria encompassed the depth of connection to the theme, the installation’s integration and dialogue with the urban environment, its compositional and stylistic harmony with the surroundings, practical functionality and other considerations at the discretion of the jury committee.
Full terms and conditions of the competition (in Latvian) can be accessed via this link: https://www.eis.gov.lv/EKEIS/Supplier/Procurement/133217
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