EUROPEAN TAPESTRY FORUM
We are both proud and delighted to present and celebrate the fifth European tapestry show ARTAPESTRY5 – a contemporary showcase of tapestries from 12 European countries.
We are proud that European Tapestry Forum (ETF) during in only a short number of years, has succeeded in creating a platform for European tapestry artists and has established a position on the international tapestry scene. In 2001 a score of visionary tapestry weavers had a dream of promoting and improving the visibility of tapestry art in Europe and enabling it to reclaim its position as a challenging artform. ETF has gained valuable experience in the past 20 years by working with artists, curators and experts.
We are now launching ARTAPESTRY5 at Art Centre Silkeborg Bad in Denmark on 6th January 2018, then successively at Kulturcentrum Ronneby, Sweden, at Mark Rothko Art Centre, Daugavpils, Latvia and, finally, at Arad Museum of Art, Romania. Each ARTAPESTRY exhibition is based on a careful selection of artwork chosen by an international jury, which includes experts in various fields. This time, the group consisted of three members: Professor Lidia Chozaj, Poland, textile artist Linda Green, Scotland, and art historian Velta Raudzepa, Latvia.
The jurors met at the Danish Art Workshop “Gammel Dok”, a converted old warehouse in Copenhagen, for a passionate and valuable three-day discussion about contemporary tapestry.
The jurors were impressed with the quality and diversity of the submissions, which included 40 tapestries by 38 artists. The works range from traditional tapestry weaving to new-style Jacquard weaving. The jury chose Pawel Kielpinski’s work “Steel” as the winner of ARTAPESTRY5 prize for the most outstanding piece.
A constantly recurring question has been this: how do we reach out to more Southern and Eastern European countries? This question had its first answer this year. Elena Ana Stoinescu contacted ETF to get ARTAPESTRY5 to Arad in Romania, and because of her enthusiasm and fruitful cooperation with Arad Museum of ART, ARTAPESTRY5 will be shown in Romania for the first time.
Statement of Artist Elena Ana Stoinescu,
“The organisation of a large European tapestry exhibition in the city of Arad is the fulfilment of both a dream and a long-held wish. Sometimes things are achieved through great effort and with a lot of soul, but also through a sense of dedication, in order to open the door to people who are fascinated by beautiful things, like the great and time-consuming art of tapestry. The exhibition will be a chance to see and to get know each other and, not least, to get to know oneself.
The Arad Art Museum is pleased to invite you with great love and emotion, but also with pride at being the host of such a wonderful exhibition for the first time. I thank all those who have made such a cultural event possible.”
ETF is run on a daily basis by the secretariat in Copenhagen and its ten steering committee members – voluntarily and with great enthusiasm. The steering committee meets about twice a year to discuss not only issues such as funding, the next ARTAPESTRY tour round Europe, the catalogue and new venues, but also more sensitive and delicate things like digital tapestries, giving rise to an addendum to the entry criteria:
“ETF’s main aim is to promote hand-woven tapestry, but in order to encourage innovation in the field, the jury will be open to selecting a small number of works (no more than 10% of the exhibition) executed in related techniques such as jacquard weaving. All works must meet all other selection criteria.”
The steering committee wants to thank the artists for their participation and for their inspiring works and also all our fellow artists for their enthusiasm and use of contacts to find new venues. We want to thank the museums who have opened their doors to us and done their utmost to show our works at their best. And, finally, a thank you to the various foundations for grants which have helped fund our catalogues.
(Anet Brusgaard for) the steering committee
