Biography
My name is Sabina Grams and I would like to welcome you to my website.
I was born in Riga in beautiful Latvia in 1980 – one of the three Baltic States. I have lived in Germany since 2010, in a small town in the Burgenland district on the Unstrut, which is known for its writer Hedwig Kurt Mahler and the Nebra Sky Disk.
I am married and have a son who is the centre of my life.
In addition to my art photography, I work professionally as a commercial photographer with a small photo studio. I was creative as a child, but my artistic development intensified in 1996 when I enrolled in the art school in Riga in the field of sculpture. Painting was also part of my training. After graduating, I studied “Visual Communication” at the Latvian Academy of Arts from 2002 to 2007 and received my bachelor’s degree in 2005 and my master’s degree in 2007. In the second half of my studies, I increasingly specialised in photography and worked with the renowned Latvian photographer Gunars Binde. He was my lecturer as well as a mentor. He encouraged and inspired me to experiment with photography while developing my own creative style.
I started taking photographs in 2001, when I was still studying sculpture and bought my first, analogue, camera. This allowed me to create my first photography assignments while I was still a student.
I quickly recognised the creative possibilities that are possible with a camera, similar, to a brush. It became clear to me that I could express my creativity in the field of photography. I found joy in photographing people, portraying their personalities and expressing their feelings and dreams. The knowledge I gained from my sculpture and painting studies supported by photography. Initially I took analogue photographs and a lot of black and white photographs, but I quickly recognised the diverse possibilities of digital photography and digital image editing, especially the scope for design in photomontages, which I increasingly use as creative tools.
This gives me even more artistic freedom to portray the world, the people, nature and my surroundings the way I would like to see them – a little dreamy, magical, humble and sometimes perhaps abstract, but always full of harmony, innocence, eternity, love and beauty.
My first photographic successes came soon after my studies. I took part in various exhibitions in Latvia and Lithuania as well as in national and international photo competitions and took top places, even winning a Toyo 45CX camera (which connoisseurs will appreciate) and a photo workshop trip to Finland.
I also took part as an instructor for an international photography workshop at the Goethe Institute in Denmark. I continued to meet new, interesting people and continued to learn. I also had various exhibitions in Germany, initially in the Künstlerkeller Freyburg and later with other artists in Naumburg.
I would like to thank all my lecturers and trainers, especially my mentor the renowned Latvian photographer Gunars Binde. I would also like to thank my family and everyone else who helped me on my artistic path. I continue to get new motivation and inspiration from my son Alex, who stills looks at the world from a child’s perspective of innocence, happiness and lack of prejudice.
For more information about my galleries, exhibitions and projects, please click on the relevant links. Thank you for your interest.
PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS
2023 ND AWARDS – Honorable Mention in Fine Art: Photomanipulation for „Under The Sky“ – Professional Category / London (UK)
2023 CHROMATIC AWARDS – Honorable Mention in Photomanipulation for „Is This Our Future?“ – Professional Category
2023 FAPA – FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS – Honorable Mention in Photomanipulation for „Magic of Nature“– Professional Category / London (UK)
2022 FAPA – FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS – Honorable Mention in Photomanipulation for “Dreamer” – Professional Category / London (UK)
2020 ND AWARDS – Honorable Mention in Fine Art: Photomanipulation for „Art never dies“ – Professional Category / London (UK)
2019 ND AWARDS, Honorable Mention in Fine Art: Photomanipulation for „Birds“– Professional Category / London (UK)
2018 5. KREISFOTOSCHAU / 3 Place / Weissenfels (Germany)
2017 FAPA- FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS – Honorable Mention in Portrait for „ Artists“ – Professional Category / London (UK)
2013 “BEST OF PHOTOGRAPHY 2013” – Magazin „Photographer’s Forum“- Finalist / (USA)
2012 2. KREISFOTOSCHAU – Award of Merit / Naumburg (Germany)
2006 „NO BORDER EXPERIMENT” – International Photo Contest – 2nd Place / Bielsko Biala (Poland)
2005 „BEST OF COLLEGE PHOTOGRAPHY ANNUAL”- Magazin “ Photographer’s Forum”- Finalist / (USA)
2004 “RED” – INTERNATIONAL PHOTO CONTEST / Award of Merit – NYY (USA)
2004 PHOTO CONTEST „Latvian Feeling” – Award of Merit / Riga (Latvia)
2004 „BEST OF PHOTOGRAPHY ANNUAL 2004”– Magazin “Photographer’s Forum”- Finalist / (USA)
2003 8. INTERNATIONAL PHOTO CONTEST ”Culture’s Heritage in Photography 2002-2003”- Award of Merit / Barselona (Spain)
2003 PHOTO CONTEST ”Culture’s Heritage in Photography 2002-2003” – 1st place / Riga (Latvia)
2003 “KAMERA-LEHTI” – 1st Place / Helsinki (Finland)
2002 “FOTO-MAGAZIN” – 2nd Place / Moskaw (Russia)
EXHIBITIONS
Solo Exhibitions:
2022 KORRELATION. MALEREI. FOTOGRAFIE. KUNST soloexhibition with artists Matthias Schöneburg and Anita Wolff / Kunsthaus Tiefer Keller / Merseburg (Germany)
2022 KORRELATION. MALEREI. FOTOGRAFIE. KUNST soloexhibition with artists Matthias Schöneburg and Anita Wolff / KulturFabrik Haldensleben (Germany)
2018 KÜNSTLER ALS KUNSTOJEKT / Sparkasse Burgenlandkreis / Naumburg (Germany)
2017 PORTRAITS OF SABINA GRAMS / Landratsamt Burgenlandkreis / Naumburg (Germany)
2011 THE WORLD IN MY EYES– HEROES – FEMALE PORTRAITS / Zum Künstlerkeller/ Freyburg (Germany)
2009 THE WORLD IN MY EYES – HEROES / Valmiera Drama Theatre / Valmiera (Latvia)
2007 THE WORLD IN MY EYES/ Gallery „Lietuvos Aido”/ Vilnius (Lithuania)
2006 THE WORLD IN MY EYES / Culture House / Jelgava (Latvia)
2005 THE WORLD IN MY EYES / Gallery „A – Suns”/ Riga (Latvia)
Group Exhibitions:
2023 LETZTER TAG DER ZUKUNFT– Art Exhibition / Naumburger Rathausgalerie (Germany)
2022 KULTUR ALS ERBE – Art Exhibition / Naumburger Rathausgalerie (Germany)
2019 SOMMER DER LIEBE – Art Exhibition / Naumburger Rathausgalerie (Germany)
2018 WAS GIBT‘S DENN DA ZU LACHEN?- Art Exhibition / Naumburger Rathaus (Germany)
2018 5. KREISFOTOSCHAU – Photography Exhibition / Museum Schloss Neu Augustusburg / Weißenfels (Germany)
2015 6. NAUMBURGER KUNSTMESSE / Rathausgalerie Naumburg (Germany)
2015 UNTERM HIMMEL, ÜBER ERDE – Art Exhibition / Naumburger Rathaus (Germany)
2014 5. NAUMBURGER KUNSTMESSE / Rathausgalerie Naumburg (Germany)
2014 DAS WEITE SUCHEN, DAS NAHE FINDEN – Art Exhibition / Naumburger Rathaus (Germany)
2013 ALLES IST RUND?! – Art Exhibition / Naumburger Rathaus (Germany)
2013 MOMENT OF LOVE – Photography Exhibition / Gallery IN3GA / Riga (Latvia)
2012 2. KREISFOTOSCHAU – Photography Exhibition / Kreistag Naumburg (Germany)
2012 3. NAUMBURGER KUNSTMESSE /Galerie Schlößchen / Naumburg (Germany)
2012 BEGEGNUNGEN – Art Exhibition / Naumburger Rathaus (Germany)
2007 BOOM – Modern Art Exhibition / Andrejsala (Latvia)
2006 VALMIERA 2006 – Exhibition of International Art Sympozium / Gallery „Laipa” I Valmiera (Latvia)
2006 A HEART ANXIOUS – Art Exhibition / European Parlament / Brussel (Belgium)
2006 NO BORDERS 2006 – International Photography Exhibition / Gallery „B&b”/ Bielsko-Biala (Poland)
2006 WONDERFUL FACE 3 – Photography Exhibition / Gallery „Carousell” / Riga (Latvia)
2006 BELGIUM. ITALY AND LATVIA – Art Exhibition / Gallery „ArmArt”/ Brussel (Belgium)
2005 Exhibition of Latvian Young Photographers for „Latio” Calendar / Blackheads House / Riga (Latvia)
2005 FLESH Modern Art Exhibition / Art Academy of Helsinki (Finland)
2005 WONDERFUL FACE 2 – Photography Exhibition / Gallery „Carousell”/ Riga (Latvia)
2004 LATVIAN FEELING – Photography Exhibition / Gallery ”Art Garden”/ Riga (Latvia)
2004 WONDERFUL FACE – Photography Exhibition / Gallery „Carousell”/ Riga (Latvia)
2003 CULTURE’S HERITAGE IN PHOTOGRAPHY 2002-2003 – 8.International Photography Exhibition / Barselona (Spain)
2003 PROJECT- Art Exhibition / Art Hall Tallin (Estonia) and AAL / Riga (Latvia)
2003 TARTU AS A LIVING PLACE – Photography Exhibition / Tartu (Estonia)
2003 PROTOCOL – Modern Art Exhibition / Gallery “AG7″/ Riga (Latvia)
2003 CULTURE’S HERITAGE IN PHOTOGRAPHY 2002-2003 – Photography Exhibition / Riga (Latvia)
2002 PHOTO CLUB RIGA- 40 – International Photography Exhibition – FIAP/ Congress House/ Riga (Latvia)
2002 ACADEMIC PHOTOGRAPHY? – Photography Exhibition in AAL / Riga (Latvia)
2001 MUCSIFON- Art Exhibition / Aplied Art Museum / Riga (Latvia)
2001 RIGA – 800- International Photography Exhibition / Congress House / Riga (Latvia)
Workshops:
2013 and 2012 ART PLENAIR TERVETE / Kerksli (Latvia)
2011 DIE FOTOWERKSTATT Photostudio of photographer Martina Kiepe (Germany)
2008 ALTER EGO – Trainer of photography’s workshop for young artists and photographers/ European Art Project EUNIC / Logumkloster (Denmark)
2007 AMBER BREEZE 2007 – International Photographer Gathering / Liepaja (Latvia)
2006 2.INTERNATIONAL PHOTO CAMP / Dubrihovice (Czech Republic)
2005 1.INTERNATIONAL PHOTOCAMP / Jesenice (Czech Republic)
2003 WILDLIFE PHOTO ACADEMY / Ranua (Finland)
2001–2005 Photostudio of Latvian photographer Gunar Binde/ Riga (Latvia)
Work publications
2020 GEO-NATURPARK SAALE-UNSTRUT-TRIASLAND / Calendar (Germany)
2019 10. NAUMBURGER KUNSTMESSE / Exhibiton’s Catalogue (Germany)
2018 9. NAUMBURGER KUNSTMESSE / Exhibiton’s Catalogue (Germany)
2015 6. NAUMBURGER KUNSTMESSE / Exhibition’s Catalogue (Germany)
2014 5.NAUMBURGER KUNSTMESSE / Exhibition’s Catalogue (Germany)
2014 ANATOMY FOR SCULPTORS /participated as Photographer for most easy-to-use human Anatomy Guide for Artists / Tacoma (USA)
2013 BEST OF PHOTOGRAPHY ANNUAL / Photobook (USA)
2013 TERVETE PLENAIR 2013 / Exhibition’s Catalogue (Latvia)
2012 TERVETE PLENAIR 2012 / Exhibition’s Catalogue (Latvia)
2009 Māksla + / Art Magazine (Latvia)
2009 BOOM / Exhibition’s Catalogue (Latvia)
2006 Fotokvartāls / Photography Magazine (Latvia)
2006 PhotoArt / Photography Magazine – June / Portfolio (Czech Republic)
2006 IMPULSS / Business Magazine – March (Latvia)
2006 LATIO / Art Calendar of 2006 from Agency of Immovable Property (Latvia)
2005 IMPULSS / Business Magazine – December (Latvia)
2005 BEST OF COLLEGE PHOTOGRAPHY ANNUAL /Photobook (USA)
2005 FORUMS / Newspaper- Portfolio (Latvia)
2004 CULTURE HERITAGE IN PHOTOGRAPHY 2003 – 2004 / Book (Spain)
2004 BEST OF PHOTOGRAPHY ANNUAL 2004 / Photobook (USA)
2004 Māksla +/ Art Magazine (Latvia)
2003 FOTO-VIDEO / Photography Magazine – March and December (Russia)
2002 KAMERA-LEHTI / Photography Magazine (Finland)
2002 FOTOMAGAZIN / Photography Magazine (Russia)
Articles:
2007 REAL AND UNREAL / written by myself about World’s Photography -January / FOTO-VIDEO (Russia)
2006 NAKED BEAUTY / written by myself about 2. International Photo Camp in Czech Republic – October / FOTO-VIDEO (Russia)