Winners of the International ‘Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights’ GPO and Custom House Competition announced!
Published on 19th December 2023
Dublin City Council is delighted to announce the two talented winners of the International ‘Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights’ GPO and Custom House Competition are DecideKit and Vali Chincișan.
DecideKit, a motion graphic design firm from Thailand is the winner for the GPO location. Their GPO artwork entitled Mycorrhiza explores how everything on the earth, even if they are different, is connected as part of one another.
Romanian artist Vali Chincișan is the winner for the Custom House location with his artwork Astral Pathways. The Custom House light projection is a journey through the cosmic realm, with connections and transformations within astral pathways.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste offered his congratulations saying, “Congratulations to the two winners of the ‘Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights’ GPO and Custom House Competition. Your exceptional talent has illuminated the competition, showcasing the richness of artistic expression. This remarkable achievement is a testament to your dedication and skill. Well done and best wishes for your continued success.”
The judges were not only pleased with the quality of the entries but also impressed by the broad spectrum of international submissions. Their delight was particularly heightened by the diverse and global representation, showcasing a rich tapestry of talent and perspectives from around the world. The winning artists will each be awarded a prize of €15,000.
Jib from DecideKit, Thailand said, “It is our great honour to receive this prize. It seems like a wonderful present for our team this Christmas and New Year. It also brings us the great joy to know that our message has reached the audience and touched their heart. Thank you to Dublin City Council, the juries and the people of Dublin."
Accepting the award Vali Chincișan said. “Winning at Dublin Winter Lights for 'Astral Pathways' is kind of surreal. It's not just a pat on the back for me, but a nod to the magic of videomapping. The entire visual spectacle, with the works of all the artists involved, projected onto the Custom House, is like turning the building into a canvas from another universe. I really enjoy this journey of creative exploration, the joy of bringing a vision to life and the thrill of seeing the dream illuminate a historic landmark. I am deeply grateful for this honour.”
You can see the winning artworks, discover the inspiration behind each piece and learn about the artists here:
DecideKit artwork: https://dublinwinterlights.ie/artists/decidekit/
Val Chincișan artwork: https://dublinwinterlights.ie/artists/vali-chincisan/
Artists from all over the world were invited to submit applications for their work to feature on the GPO and Custom House buildings, as part of this year’s ‘Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights’ programme. The shortlisted artworks are transforming the buildings as they become the perfect canvas for stunning graphics throughout December.
The winning artwork was judged by an esteemed panel of internationally-recognised judges Birgit Zander, Festival Director, Berlin Festival of Lights, Juliette Bibasse and Joanie Lemercier, Studio Joanie Lemercier, and Bruce Rodgers and Shelley Rodgers, Tribe Inc., Production designers for the American Super Bowl Half-Time shows.
The Romanian Ambassador to Ireland, Dr. habil. Laurențiu-Mihai Ștefan congratulated Val Chincișan saying, “The Embassy of Romania extends heartfelt congratulations to Val Chincișan for his exceptional artistic achievement and well-earned win in the 'Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights' Custom House Artist Competition 2023.”