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Sculpture Network announces the winners of the Emerging Sculptor Award

Sculpture Network is thrilled to announce the winners of the Emerging Sculptor Award. For the first time, three prizes are awarded to support the selected artists' creative journey. The 1st Prize was granted to Ruta Putramentaite (b. 1989, LT), the 2nd Prize to Jindřiška Jabůrkova (b. 1995, CZ), and the 3rd Prize to Nevena Ekimova (b. 1984, BG).

Sculpture Network promotes sculpture by creating a community of artists, art professionals, curators, and lovers of sculpture in Europe and beyond. Our members have the opportunity to present their works on our website and benefit from our scope. We connect sculpture lovers through our website, newsletter, social media, and our live and online events.

The Curatorial Board of Sculpture Network, artist and co-founder Hartmut Stielow, and art historian Laure Debouttiere proposed creating the Emerging Sculptor Award to encourage and support upcoming sculptors aged 25-40. 

The winner of the first prize will receive €3,500, the second prize secures €2,500, and the third prize is awarded €1,500. The winners also receive a free one-year membership of Sculpture Network. Their work will be promoted through our newsletter and social media, and the Online Club. Please join us for Sculpture Network’s Awards Night on Monday, February 26 at 20.00.

Sculpture Network’s coordinators, Susanne Ahrenkiel, Marina Bauer, Neus Bergua, Anne Berk, Frank Nordiek, Hilde van Canneyt, and Anemone Vostell, nominated 32 candidates. As art professionals and artists, they have an insight into the art scene in their own countries and neighbouring regions. 

The jury consisted of Hartmut Stielow, Laure Debouttiere, the artist and curator Philipp Morlock, and the artist and independent chairman Blake Ward. After reviewing 32 impressive candidates’ profiles and portfolios, the jury made its choice based on the criteria of artistic innovation and openness to experimentation, as well as the candidates' commitment to the medium of sculpture.

After careful consideration, the jury nominated Ruta Putramentaite, Jindřiška Jabůrkova, and Nevena Ekimova, whose work impressed the jury most. We are excited to see their future contributions to the art world.

 

Jury report

 

1st place to Ruta Putramentaite (b. 1989, LT)

Ruta Putramentaite has embarked on a distinctive and interactive path to explore the question of what it means to be human in the 21st century. She navigates the border between personal and collective traces, focusing on the asymmetrical relationship between nature and humanity. In her works across various media, including sculpture, writing, audio, and performance, the reproduction of adopted messages is intertwined with her own agenda.

We encounter fragments of the legacy of human activities and their impact on the environment. Through her installations, the intertwining of industrial and natural processes is revealed, challenging conceptual distinctions and making their mutual influence visible. Her unique ability to artistically communicate these existential questions sets apart her engagement with our future.

Ruta Putramentaite (b. 1989) comes from Lithuania. She studied photography at Middlesex University, London. After that, she graduated from UMPRUM in Prague (Edith Jeřabkova and Dominik Lang's Studio for Sculpture).

https://rutpu.tumblr.com/

https://www.instagram.com/rututu_pu/

https://www.galeriejeleni.cz/en/2022/ruta-putramentaite-here-all-is-distance-there-it-was-breath/

 

Ruta Putramentaite, Here All is Distance, There it was Breath, 2022. garbage, paper mache, kombucha leather, soil, sugar, bioplastic, flax seeds, wood, bones, various dimensions
Ruta Putramentaite, Here All is Distance, There it was Breath, 2022. Garbage, paper mache, kombucha leather, soil, sugar, bioplastic, flax seeds, wood, bones, various dimensions
Ruta Putramentaite here all is distance there it was breath, 2023
Ruta Putramentaite, Here All is Distance, There it was Breath, 2022. Garbage, paper mache, kombucha leather, soil, sugar, bioplastic, flax seeds, wood, bones, various dimensions
Ruta Putramentaite here all is distance there it was breath, 2021
Ruta Putramentaite, Here All is Distance, There it was Breath, 2022. Garbage, paper mache, kombucha leather, soil, sugar, bioplastic, flax seeds, wood, bones, various dimensions

Ruta Putramentaite, Creature no.18, 2023. garbage, paper mache, kombucha leather, soil, sugar, bioplastic, flax seeds, wood, bones,various dimensions
Ruta Putramentaite, Creature no. 18, 2023. Garbage, paper mache, kombucha leather, soil, sugar, bioplastic, flax seeds, wood, bones, various dimensions

Ruta Putramentaite, Creature no. 17, 2023  garbage, paper mache, soil, sugar, bioplastic, flax seeds, wood, bones, approx. 2m x 1m x 1m
Ruta Putramentaite, Creature no. 17, 2023. Garbage, paper mache, soil, sugar, bioplastic, flax seeds, wood, bones, approx. 2m x 1m x 1m, Det.
Ruta Putramentaite, Creature no. 17, 2023  garbage, paper mache, soil, sugar, bioplastic, flax seeds, wood, bones, approx. 2m x 1m x 1m
Ruta Putramentaite, Creature no. 17, 2023. Garbage, paper mache, soil, sugar, bioplastic, flax seeds, wood, bones, approx. 2m x 1m x 1m

Ruta Putramentaite, No Title, 2023. garbage, paper mache, kombucha leather, soil, sugar, wood, bones title, various dimensions
Ruta Putramentaite, No Title, 2023. Garbage, paper mache, kombucha leather, soil, sugar, wood, bones, various dimensions
Ruta Putramentaite, No Title, 2023. garbage, paper mache, kombucha leather, soil, sugar, wood, bones title, various dimensions
Ruta Putramentaite, No Title, 2023. Garbage, paper mache, kombucha leather, soil, sugar, wood, bones, various dimensions

Ruta Putramentaite, photo
Ruta Putramentaite

 

2nd place to Jindřiška Jabůrková (b. 1995, CZ)

Jindřiška Jabůrkova mesmerizes with her ability to craft enchanting worlds through her art. With deliberate gestures that seem effortless, she invites viewers to join her on a captivating journey. Utilizing discarded materials found in public spaces, Jabůrkova molds her own unique objects, which

resemble natural formations and provoke contemplation about our everyday actions. Her creations resemble landscapes, with emerging objects reminiscent of scars on the skin, prompting reflection on our consumption habits.

Jindřiška Jabůrkova was born in Zlin, Czech Republic, in 1995 and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague.

https://jindriskajaburkova.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jin_jab/3

 

Jindřiška Jabůrková, Rise from the Breath, 2023. wax and wire construction, approx. 1m high
Jindřiška Jabůrková, Rise from the Breath, 2023. Wax and wire construction, approx. 1m high, Exh. view Prám Gallery, Prague, CZ. Photo: Tomáš Rubín

Jindřiška Jabůrková, Endless Flow, 2023  concrete, slate, found objects, ultrasonic difuser, site-specific installation.  Exhibition view solo show at Hunt Kastner Gallery, Prague CZ  Photo Michal Czanderle
Jindřiška Jabůrková, Endless Flow, 2023. Concrete, slate, found objects, ultrasonic difuser, site-specific installation. Exh. view solo show at Hunt Kastner Gallery, Prague CZ. Photo: Michal Czanderle

Jindřiška Jabůrková, Through Quiet Places you Shall Unite, 2022 concrete, clay, 35 m2, site specific installation. Photo Peter Kolárčik
Jindřiška Jabůrková, Through Quiet Places you Shall Unite, 2022. Concrete, clay, 35 m2, site-specific installation. Photo: Peter Kolárčik

Jindřiška Jabůrková, Matter of Time, 2021 concrete, found object, construction materials, salt, site specific installation Photo: Polyna Davidenko
Jindřiška Jabůrková, Matter of Time, 2021 concrete, found object, construction materials, salt, site specific installation Photo: Polyna Davidenko

Jindřiška Jabůrková, photo by Juliana Vlčková
Jindřiška Jabůrková. Photo by Juliana Vlčková

 

3rd place to Nevena Ekimova (b. 1984, BG)

Nevena Ekimova's deep passion for sculptural expression reflects in her strong connection with the audience. Her artworks, visually striking and tactile, blend poetry and performance, inviting active engagement. Through her works, she explores power dynamics in relationships and Bulgaria's traditions.

Trained in Norway, Iceland, and Sweden's Valand Art Academy, Ekimova merges international art education with her homeland's cultural heritage. Continuing Gabrovo’s textile tradition, she incorporates recycled fabrics into her works, captivating the jury with her narrative charm and strong ties to her homeland's legacy. Ekimova is an excellent choice for recognition.

https://nevenaekimova.com/

https://openartfiles.bg/en/people/3150-nevena-ekimova

https://www.instagram.com/kakalelka/

 

Nevena Ekimova, Wood Wedding, 2020, installation Pyrography on wood, embroidery on textile, performance 300 h x 400 x 450 cm. Photo Rosina Pencheva
Nevena Ekimova, Wood Wedding, 2020. Installation, Pyrography on wood, embroidery on textiles, performance, 300 h x 400 x 450 cm. Photo: Rosina Pencheva

Nevena Ekimova, Тhe Sweetest Sleep, 2023, installation Sculpture made of donated yarn, 12 take away short stories 150 h x 160 x 120 cm. Photo Galya Yotova
Nevena Ekimova, Тhe Sweetest Sleep, 2023. Installation, sculpture made of donated yarn, 12 take-away short stories, 150 h x 160 x 120 cm. Photo: Galya Yotova

Nevena Ekimova, Trash to Treasure (detail), 2021, interdisciplinary project  Web series on local industries'  waste products, sculptures made of waste materials, 300 h x 200 x 250 cm. Photo Rosina Pencheva
Nevena Ekimova, Trash to Treasure (detail), 2021. Interdisciplinary project, Web series on local industries' waste products, sculptures made of waste materials, 300 h x 200 x 250 cm. Photo: Rosina Pencheva

Nevena Ekimova, Pyjama Party in the Belly of the Whale, 2022, installation Wall panels and tentacles made of donated garments, pillow stuffing variable dimensions. Photo Rosina Pencheva
Nevena Ekimova, Pyjama Party in the Belly of the Whale, 2022. Installation, wall panels and tentacles made of donated garments, pillow stuffing, variable dimensions. Photo: Rosina Pencheva

Nevena Ekimova, photo Rosina Pencheva
Nevena Ekimova. Photo Rosina Pencheva

 

 

About the author

Anne Berk

Anne Berk is Vice Chairperson of Sculpture Network, responsible for our events and also Coordinator for the Netherlands.

Translation

Anemone Vostell

Berlin-based cultural manager with the aim of supporting the realisation of contemporary art projects.

Sybille Hayek

Sybille Hayek is an editor and translator. Since 2022 she has been supporting our team on a voluntary basis with her trained eye for detail and a great love of language.

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