28 10 2020 – 07 12 2020
The opportunity of a solo show at Pamėnkalnio Gallery is one of the awards given to the winners of the international event YOUNG PAINTER PRIZE. Last year (2019) the competition was won by Sandra Strēle – a young Latvian artist who is interested in telling stories and creating different fictional, illusory worlds. Each story told by the painter is a continuation of another, like in a series, the characters of which undergo new transformations. They are influenced by time, foresight and scenarios for the future, and at the same time by devotion to the memories of the past.
EXHIBITIONS THAT NEVER HAPPENED is a new series of works and shows developed by the artist recently, in which she reflects on ideas that did not happen or will not ever happen. “Every artist during his or her lifetime has millions of ideas he or she would like to realise. Because of the lack of time, political situations (such as covid-19 crisis, economical crisis), personal reasons, lack of exhibition spaces, success and funding, and different other circumstances, artists during their lifetime make only a limited amount of solo exhibitions. In this series I paint the ideas and concepts of my own I would like to realise, playing with different known and unknown exhibition spaces, galleries and museums and painting my solo exhibition views”.
In brief: Sandra Strēle obtained a master’s degree in painting at the Latvian Academy of Arts (2016). In 2013-14 she studied under the exchange program at the Royal Academy of Arts in Antwerp. Among her achievements are: Young Painter Prize (2019), The Elizabeth Greenshield Foundation (Canada) Grant (2019), SEB Bank Scholarship in Painting (2016), Brederlo von Sengbusch Art Prize (2014), Inara Tetereva Scholarship in Arts (2012).
Sandra Strēle wishes to thank The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation for its financial support.
The exhibition is also made possible by the Latvian State Culture Capital Foundation, Lithuanian Council for Culture and Lithuanian Artists’ Association.
Organiser: Pamėnkalnio Gallery.
Partner: Young Painter Prize.