Gdańsk, 18 March 2016 PRESS RELEASE AMBERIF 2016 23rd

Gdańsk, 18 March 2016 PRESS RELEASE AMBERIF 2016 23rd

Gdańsk, 18 March 2016
PRESS RELEASE
AMBERIF 2016
23 International Fair of Amber, Jewellery and Gemstones
Gdańsk, 16-19 March 2016 / AMBEREXPO
rd
AWARDS FOR THE AMBERIF 2016 DESIGNERS AND EXHIBITORS
AMBERIF DESIGN AWARD 2016
AMBERIF defines trends. The Amberif Design Award, i.e. the International Amber Jewellery
Design Competition, is a trend-setting event for new development directions.
This year’s edition of the Award was a time to look back: 20 years, more than two thousand
reviewed entries, a galaxy of artists from more than 30 countries, a host of outstanding
judges.
This year, the ADA motto was Transition. It was an open competition, with participation
from designers, artists, jewellery makers and art school students. Their artistic endeavours
were evaluated by an international judging panel: Heidemarie Herb, Danka Czapnik, Adriana
Lisowska and Nicolas Estrada.
• The Main Prize sponsored by the Mayor of Gdańsk, PLN 10,000, went to Jolanta
Kupniewska
• The Silver Prize, 1 kg of silver from AMBERIF Partner KGHM Polska Miedź SA, went to
Kinga Sulej
• The Amber Prize, 1 kg of amber sponsored by the International Amber Association,
went to Yelizaveta Suska.
MERCURIUS GEDANENSIS 2016
The prestigious Bogdan Mirowski Mercurius Gedanensis Award addressed to AMBERIF
exhibitors includes two awards: the GRAND PRIX and the GOLD MEDAL. Fifty-three original
entries were submitted, assessed by the judging panel: Prof. Andrzej Boss, Prof. Andrzej
Szadkowski, Anna Sobecka, Claude Mazlum, Paweł Kaczyński.
• The Amberif 2016 Mercurius Gedanensis GRAND PRIX in the Design Category was
awarded to A2 Studio Biżuterii for a series of Three Rings by Miron Kutarba. The winner
also received 2 kg of silver from KGHM Polska Miedź SA.
“In making this triptych, I was inspired by flower buds,” confessed the winner. “I made three
rings on purpose, to show the diversity and uniqueness of amber—they are alike, yet each
one is different.”
• The Amberif 2016 Mercurius Gedanensis GOLD MEDAL in the Workmanship
Excellence category went to the BONDAROWSKI Company for the Black Orchid ring
by Krzysztof Bondaruk.
The Design Category HONOURABLE MENTIONS went to: JACEK BYCZEWSKI DESIGN for
a necklace by Jacek Byczewski and COLUMBUS Sonia Tymińska for a bracelet and ring by
Marcin Tymiński.
THE AMBER PROMOTION OF GDAŃSK
For years now, the AMBER LOOK Gala has featured the presentation of the Mayor of Gdańsk
Medals to individuals involved in promoting Gdańsk as the World Capital of Amber. This year,
the medals went to those who were actively involved in and successfully completed
the 3-year jewellery and amber industry promotion programme (2012-2015), funded by
the Ministry of Economy, part of the Baltic Amber. Treasure of Poland Consortium.
The programme contributed to increased exports of amber jewellery and an enhanced
position of Gdańsk as the World Capital of Amber. The consortium’s work allowed several
dozen amber and jewellery companies to receive a co-funding of 75% of the cost of participating
in domestic and international jewellery trade shows. The Consortium also made it possible
for the jewellery and amber industry to be included on the list of sectors to be co-funded
pro-export-wise by the Ministry of Development in 2016-2022. The medals and Amber
Cranes statuettes were presented by Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk Piotr Kowalczuk to:
• Andrzej Kasprzak, President of the Board, MTG SA Gdańsk International Fair Co.,
the Consortium’s leader
• Rafał Galimski, President, MCT International Fair Centre
• Paweł Montewka, Vice-President, MCT Warsaw
• Zbigniew Strzelczyk, President, Polish Chamber of Amber Commerce
• Anita Dmowska, Office Director, Polish Chamber of Amber Commerce
• Adam Pstrągowski, President, S&A
• Lucyna Szatkowska, Project Coordination Director, S&A
The AMBERIF DESIGN AWARD and MERCURIUS GEDANENSIS award ceremony was part
of AMBERIF’s AMBER LOOK trends & styles Amber and Fashion Gala.
AMBERIF 2016 | www.amberif.pl
ORGANISED BY | MTG SA Gdańsk International Fair Co.
CONTACT FOR THE MEDIA
AMBERIF Project Director: Ewa Rachoń | [email protected] | tel. +48 58 55 49 134