Lena Liepe receives SEK 1.5 million for prominent research
Lena Liepe, professor of art history and visual studies at Linnaeus University, is awarded Gad Rausing’s award for prominent humanistic research 2019. She is awarded for her groundbreaking research on Nordic medieval art. Liepe will use the SEK 1.5 million price for, among other things, field work in a new project about future mediation of cultural heritage.
“I’m very happy and honored to receive this award. I see it as recognition of my research and encouragement to continue on the path I have chosen, with the Nordic countries as my field of research”, says Liepe.
Liepe’s research field is mainly Nordic medieval art and imagery. She has written several books that have introduced new and groundbreaking perspectives in a number of different fields: depiction of body and gender in medieval imagery, the text-image interplay in the production of Icelandic medieval manuscripts, and, most recently, how medieval church art has been presented at museums from the mid-19th century until today.
This spring, a larger research project starts at Linnaeus University that will deal with the mapping out of religion in everyday life with focus on medieval saint cults in Sweden and Finland. In this project, Liepe will study saint relics and saints in church art. The project is funded by The Swedish Research Council – but Liepe already has ideas for how to use the SEK 1.5 million price for other research.
“Right now, I’m planning a project on future mediation of the old, Western, cultural heritage in a multicultural society. The award gives me the opportunity to carry out field work and network initiatives that require extra funding”.
About the award
Gad Rausing’s award is handed out annually by The Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities, and is the academy’s biggest award. The award goes to a prominent Nordic researcher within a number of set subject fields. The recipient receives SEK 1.5 million.
Contact
Lena Liepe, phone +46470-76 72 15, email lena.liepe@lnu.se
Simon Kristoffersson, communications officer research, phone +4673-051 45 09, email simon.kristoffersson@lnu.se