In 2023 the Riga Photography Biennial Seeking the Latest in Photography! Award is presented for the fifth time. The goal of the award is to discover and appraise the creative efforts of young artists who demonstrate the power of the image in their works, offering an original point of view and conceptual depth, suited to the times. It highlights emerging Baltic artists whose works are already dominated by these qualities. Since 2019, the award has been presented within the Biennial's programme NEXT in cooperation with the ISSP Gallery.

In 2023, the international jury presented the main award to Ieva Baltaduonytė (LT) for her series Uprooted. Commenting on their decision, the jury noted: “In an ongoing photographic work "Uprooted" (2022-), the Lithuanian artist Ieva Baltaduonytė thoughtfully engages with the complex ripple-effects of the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Working with Ukrainian female refugees in Lithuania and using a humanistic style of photography in an exploratory way, she brings to light the unphotographable trauma of forced displacement and war-related PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder). It results in a memorable reminder about the universal importance of empathy in a time of crisis.”

Five of the contestants – Ieva Baltaduonytė (LT), Ieva Maslinskaitė (LT), Kristīne Krauze-Slucka (LV), Līga Stibe (LV), and Hedi Jaansoo (EE) – were nominated to present their works during the exhibition opening. 10 of the top rated finalists – including also the Latvian artists Elīna Ruka, Anna Dzērve, Rūta Kalmuka, Elizabete Eglisnka and Armands Andže – will get a chance to participate in the RPB – NEXT 2023 portfolio review for the professionals. The artist Anna Dzērve (LV) received the VV Foundation prize for her work, I’m glad he died – the opportunity to take part in the PAiR Residency in Pāvilosta. The special prize – an opportunity to publish a photobook with the NoRoutine Books publishing house – was presented to Armands Andže (LV) for his series 29 Landscapes.

2023 jury: founder of the BZH Photo festival and coordinator of the Photo Days event in Paris Camille Gajate (FR), art critic, historian and curator Adam Mazur (PL), artist, professor and Head of the Photography Department at the Estonian Academy of Arts Marge Monko (EE), artist and curator Paulius Petraitis (LT) and artist and teacher Ieva Epnere (LV).

Participants: Ieva Baltaduonyte (LT)
Curators: Inga Brūvere (LV)
Image: Ieva Baltaduonyte, from the series Uprooted, 2022