The most important visual arts event of the year in the Republic of Moldova – the International Biennial of Painting Chisinau 2021, the seventh edition – started as part of the European Heritage Days. The event includes an exhibition of 192 paintings signed by 146 artists from 35 countries. The laureates of the seventh edition were awarded six prizes to the value of over 170,000 lei and six diplomas of excellence conferred by the Ministry of Culture. The jury consisted of: Romanian art critic and historian Pavel Șușară, president of the jury; Moldovan art critic and historian Tudor Stăvilă; vice president of the Union of Plastic Artists of the Republic of Moldova; the exhibition’s curator Tudor Zbârnea, director general of the National Museum of Arts of Moldova; Dumitru Bolboceanu, president of the Union of Plastic Artists of the Republic of Moldova; Moldovan plastic artists Gennady Jaloba and Vladimir Palamarciuc, IPN reports.

Impressed by the scale of the event, Minister of Culture Sergiu Prodan said the Biennial represents international recognition for the platform created by the National Museum of Arts of Moldova in the national visual arts, which facilitates dialogue and units painters of different currents and generations. “In very difficult conditions, in times of a pandemic, we managed to cope and to organize such events in safe conditions in a museum,” stated the minister, noting they will work to remove all the barriers to the free circulation of cultural heritage from the country and abroad.

Ex-Prime Minister Ion Sturza, backer of the Biennial, said philanthropy should be widely used in Moldova, especially in the cultural sphere. A group of top Romanian collectors would like to mount an exhibition in Chisinau so as to promote arts in Moldova. “Next year we intend to stage a reference exhibition based on Romanian private collections. I will make such a present to the museum and the cultural community. I think we have the occasion to host such collections in Chisinau for the first time,” stated the former prime minister of Moldova.

The Culture Division of Chisinau municipality for the first time conferred an award at the International Biennial of Painting Chisinau. The Division’s head Valentina Volontir said the organization of this event in Chisinau contributes to the image of the capital city.

The following prizes were awarded as part of the International Biennial of Painting Chisinau 2021:

The top prize (45,000 lei) was offered by the Arts Center Amprente to Vasile Rață (Romania – Republic of Moldova) for Relax, 2017, mixed technique/canvas, 111x266 cm;

The first prize (35,000 lei) was conferred by the Arts Center Amprente on Adrian Dica (Romania) for Blue Deviation Landscape, 2019, oil/canvas, 150x150 cm;

The second prize (28,000 lei) was given by the Arts Center Amprente to Lyuben Malchev (Bulgaria) for Crowd 1, 2020, acryl/canvass, 120x140 cm;

The third prize (22,000 lei) was conferred by the Arts Center Amprente on Dmitri Șibaev (Republic of Moldova) for Steps and Poles, 2021, oil/canvas, 130x170 cm;

The prize of the Chisinau City Hall’s Culture Division (22,000 lei) was handed over by the Arts Center Amprente to Ismail Karayakupoglu (Turkey) for Without Title, 2020, acryl/canvass, 150x120 cm;

The prize of Sturdza Family Fund (22,000 lei) was given by the Arts Center Amprente to Loukia Soteriou (Cyprus), Hide and Seek II, 2021, mixed technique/canvas, 100x70 cm;

The Trophy “Artmuseum” was given by the National Museum of Arts of Moldova to artist Paulina Zuc (Poland), IV, 2021, mixed technique/canvas, 100x150 cm;

The Ministry of Culture awarded six diplomas of excellence to Liviu Nedelcu (Romania) Fall-A, 2021;100x200 cm, oil/canvas; Florica Prevenda (Romania), Somewhere in Childhood, 120x150 cm, mixed technique/canvas; artist Dalina Bădescu (Romania), De Omnibus Varrio Eventum... 2019, 150/180 cm, oil/canvas, painter Vadim Crețu (Romania), Giant from Carol Park, 2021, 100x93 cm, oil/canvas; Radu Carnariu (Romania), Mummification-process, 2020, 100x150 cm, acryl/canvas; Anna Vasileiou (Cyprus), World Travellers, 2* 100x200 cm, acryl/canvas, and to Zakarya Zakaryaev (Russia) Bayker, 2021, 110x85 cm, oil/canvas.

The winner of the Trophy “Artmuseum” of the National Museum of Arts of Moldova will be invited to mount a personal exhibition at the National Museum of Arts of Moldova. After the exhibition, a selection of works will be transferred to the Museum of Arts of the MOLDOVA National Museum Complex in Iasi, Romania, for the period between October 20 and November 14, 2021.

The exhibition opened on September 22 can be visited until October 17, 2021.