Guntars Sietiņš


Guntars Sietiņš
Guntars Sietiņš:
Master of Mezzotint and the Poetics of Reflection
Guntars Sietiņš, born in 1962 in Kuldīga, Latvia, is a distinguished figure in contemporary printmaking, renowned for his exceptional mastery of the mezzotint technique. His work seamlessly blends hyper-realism with surrealism, creating a unique aesthetic that transforms reality into a world of surreal objects existing beyond the normal confines of time and gravity.
Sietiņš's prints are characterized by their meticulous detail and the use of highly polished metal spheres, which not only serve as elements of perfect form but also introduce distorted reflections of reality. These spheres create a poetic and timeless space, inviting viewers to explore the relationship between space and volume, darkness and light.
Beyond his artistic practice, Sietiņš has made significant contributions to the field of graphic arts education. Since 1999, he has served as the Head of the Department of Graphic Art at the Latvian Academy of Art and was appointed as a professor in 2004. His influence extends internationally, with his works exhibited across Europe, Japan, and the United States, and included in numerous museum collections.
Sietiņš's dedication to the mezzotint technique and his exploration of themes that hover between reality and illusion have solidified his reputation as one of the finest graphic artists of his generation. His prints continue to captivate audiences, offering a window into a world where the boundaries of time, space, and form are continually reimagined.
Recent awards include:
2017 - International Mezzotint Festival Prize
2009 - International Print Triennial, Poland
2009 - 15th Space International Print Biennial, Seoul, Korea
2008 - 1st Printmaking Triennial, Thesaloniki, Greece
2007 - Aomori Print Triennial, Aomori, Japan
Public Collections Featuring Works by Guntars Sietiņš
Latvian National Museum of Art, Riga, Latvia
Kuldīga District Museum, Kuldīga, Latvia
M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art, Kaunas, Lithuania
Mykolas Žilinskas Art Gallery, Kaunas, Lithuania
Estonian Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia
Art Museum of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Ala Ponzone City Museum, Cremona, Italy
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Kaliningrad State Art Gallery, Kaliningrad, Russia
Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts, Ekaterinburg, Russia
Jundt Art Museum at Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington, USA
Additionally, his works are part of corporate and private collections, including the Signet Bank Art Collection in Riga, Latvia, which houses pieces from his "Characters" series.