Kristel Saan

Kristel Saan (b.1985) is a visual artist based in Tallinn. She acquired a Master’s Degree in Ceramic Design from the Estonian Academy of Arts (2015) and has also studied at Central Saint Martins University of Art and Design (2011) in London and at Emily Carr University of Art and Design (2013) in Vancouver. Saan works with large-scale installations, photography, video works, ceramics and textile pieces. The artist’s work often resembles diverse utopian areas where poetry, philosophical topics, and various unexpected organic and artificial materials intertwine, while one of the main aspects becomes the perception of object, material, and space.

Exhibitions at Kogo

Everyday Witchcraft

Time to Dream or Fear?

My Bitter Sweet Frankenstein Body

CV

Kristel Saan (1985) lives and works in Tallinn and in Vancouver.

Education

2012-2015	Estonian Academy of Arts, ceramics (MA)
2014	Rhode Island School of Design, ceramics
2013	Emily Carr University of Art and Design, visual arts
2011	Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, fine arts
2008-2012	Estonian Academy of Arts, ceramics (BA)
2003-2007	Tartu University, law (BA)

Solo Exhibitions

2018	I Ate Emptiness Also, sound performance with Sten Saarits, Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2018	Zero G Tonic, with Sten Saarits, Draakon Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2018	I Cloud, Stella Soomlaisi Studio, Tallinn, Estonia
2018	I Ate Emptiness Also, Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2016	Organically Grown, Artishok Biennale, Theatre NO99, Tallinn, Eesti
2015	My rising sign is Dancer, Estonian Art Academy, Tallinn, Estonia
2014	Domestic Altar EGO, HOP Gallery Tallinn, Estonia
2013	Sunbed, HOP Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2013	There were some, but there was no-one, with Evelin Saul, Vabadus Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2012	Sunbed, XL Art Space, Helsinki, Finland

Selected Group Exhibitions

2018	TAVA18, Tartu Light Festival, Tartu, Estonia
2018	Everyday Witchcraft, curated by Merilin Talumaa, Kogo Gallery, Tartu, Estonia
2018	Dead Man’s Skis or How to Describe the Forest to Digital Rabbits, curated by Peeter Laurits, Tartu Art House, Tartu, Estonia
2017	Dead Man’s Skis or How to Describe the Forest to Digital Rabbits, curated by Peeter Laurits, Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2017	X. perience, Du Ruimte, Gent, Belgium
2016	An Honest Mimic, FIELD Contemporary, Vancouver, Canada
2016	Idealists, curated by Karin Paulus, Tallinna Art Hall, Tallinn, Estonia
2015	The New Flesh, VIVO Media Arts Center, Vancouver, Canada
2015	TASE’15, Estonian Academy of Arts exhibition, Kotzebue building, Tallinn, Estonia
2015	Antics, James Black Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2015	Considering Heterotopias, ECUAD Concouse Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2015	Untitled, Astro Turf Gallery opening show, Vancouver, Canada
2014	The Visitor Vegetable, Skylight Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2014	Open Borders, Estonian Academy of Arts Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2014	Wildly good Estonian Design, Design Night Festival, Tallinn, Estonia
2014	Estonia in Details, European Ceramic Context 2014 satellite, Sandvig Radstue Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2014	Transparent Kiln, Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Centre, Skælskør, Denmark
2014	Micro Estonia – Macro Estonia, Estonian Ceramist Union annual exhibition, Tõrva, Estonia
2014	Watery World, London Canal Museum, London, United Kingdom
2014	Size Doesn’t Matter?, Design and Architecture Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2014	Size Doesn’t Matter?, Design Flanders Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
2014	Just KILn me, Sol Koeffler Gallery, Providence RI, United States of America
2013	Mud and Instincr, Haapsalu City Gallery, Haapsalu, Estonia
2013	80 cups, Estonian Ceramist Union annual exhibition, Amandus Adamson Studio Museum, Paldiski, Estonia
2013	Cymbals, Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design, Tallinn, Estonia
2013	90 Years of Ceramic Education in Estonia, Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design, Tallinn, Estonia
2013	Matter, Creative Incubator, Eesti Design House, Tallinn, Estonia
2013	Pretty Things to Look at, Ayden Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2013	FUCK, Hot Art Wet City Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2012	Modenschau Alexandra Börner & Cristoph Beyer, performance, Helle Saale, Germany
2012	RAUMinbetrieb, Artfestival, Halle Saale, Germany
2012	The Voice of Drawing, IV TallinnDrawing Triennial: DIALOGUE, Kullo Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2012	Food and Vessel, Hungarian Institute, Tallinn, Estonia
2012	Black and White, Estonian Ceramist Union annual exhibition, Design and Architecture Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2012	Tallinn International Flower Festival, Square of Towers, Tallinn, Estonia
2012	Large Vase, Tartu Art Museum, Tartu, Estonia
2012	Food and Vessel, Valga Museum, Valga, Estonia
2012	EKA POP-UP Ceramics, Saaremaa Art Studio, Saaremaa, Estonia
2011	Art by Candle-light, Museums at Night, London Central Museum, London, United Kingdom
2011	Red in process, Charing Cross Viewing Theatre, London, United Kingdom
2011	Central Saint Martini spring exhibition, London, United Kingdom
2010	Design Het, exhibition EST_HU, Budapest Design Week exhibition, Budapest, Hungary
2010	Just Born, Estonian Young Artist Union exhibition, T-Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2010	AWAY, Estonian Ceramist Union annual exhibition, Draakon Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

Curated Exhibitions

2014	The Visitor Vegetable, Skylight Gallery, Vancouver, Canada

Workshops, Courses and Residencies

2015	Motion Picture Industry Orientation Course, Vancouver, Canada
2014	2nd European Woodfire Conference, Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center, Skælskør, Denmark
2014	ENGAGE! Participatory Design Workshop, Adrianne Gagnon Providence RI, United States of America
2013	Residency with Siman Li, Mission Artists United, San Francisco, United States of America
2013	Sculpture and Installation Workshop with Ruth Beer, Vancouver, Canada
2013	Ceramic Surface Design Workshop with Justin Novak, Vancouver, Canada
2012	Woodfire Workshop at Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center, Skælskør, Denmark

Awards and Scholarships

2014	Adamson-Eric Young Artist Award nominee
2014	Estonian Innovation Institute travel grant
2012-2018	Estonian Cultural Endowment Visual and Applied Arts Foundation scholarships
2013	Ilmar Palm Ceramic Award
2013	Archimedes Dora T7 scholarship
2011, 2015	Erasmus scholarship

Selected Publications in English

Leah Collins, An art fair where the physical plane meets the new, digital flesh, CBC Arts, 30.10.2015.
Flawless Magazine, Killer Women, 2014/5.
Reet Varblane, Kristel Saan/Evelin Saul. There were some but there was no one, Kuhuminna.ee, 27.06.2013.
Estonian World, Young Estonian Artists: Kristel Saan, 05.08.2013.
Juho “Poesiloe” Pöysti, Kristel Saan: Sunbed, Müürileht/Wader, 27.12.2012.