Kristi Kongi
Kristi Kongi is a painter and installation artist whose works are based on her observations, emotions and memories placed in specific or imagined places. She uses colour, light and space as her main world-building tools and installations as extensions of her paintings, often creating a “painting inside painting” effect. Besides painting on canvas, walls, floors and ceilings, she also uses various coloured materials such as fabric, plywood and acrylic plastic to create her installations. Kongi makes use of in-depth research and experiments in painting, where she trials various colours, light and shade. Her work is at once poetic – as is also expressed in the titles – and systematic and analytical.
Kristi Kongi (b. 1985, Tallinn, Estonia) is an Estonian artist living in Tallinn. She is Associate Professor and Head of the Painting department at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Her formal education includes a Master’s from the Painting Department of the Faculty of Visual Arts at the Estonian Academy of Arts. She has been awarded the Young Artist Prize (2011), the Sadolin Art Prize (2013), the Konrad Mägi Prize (2017) and the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s annual award (2021), and was nominated for the Köler Prize in 2016.
Kongi’s recent solo and duo exhibitions include Lost Summer Skies with Tõnis Saadoja at Pontone Gallery, London, UK (2024); The Past, the Present, the Future. It is like Indigo, Lilac, and Magenta at Galeria Karen Huber, Mexico City, Mexico (2023–2024); Colours reminded me that life can get so interesting that we forget to be afraid at roam, Berlin, Germany (2023); To Sense The Light, You Must Close Your Eyes with Mare Vint at Tartu Art House, Tartu, Estonia (2022); and … and Other Shades of Light with Krista Mölder at Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn, Estonia (2021). Recent group exhibitions include White Dwarfs and All Those Beautiful Nebulas at Kim? Contemporary Art Centre in Riga (2024–2025), The Death Began In Autumn at CASA LÜ, Mexico City, Mexico (2023); Emotional Landscapes at Gallery Arka, Vilnius, Lithuania (2023); Colour as an idea. Thoughts on colour at ARS project space, Tallinn, Estonia (2021); Nocturnal visions. Pink cloud at Explorer building at Kai 1, Tallinn, Estonia (2021); and Frenetic standstill at GAM, Palazzo Madama, Torino, Italy (2020–2021).
Her works are a part of the collections of the Estonian Art Museum, Tartu Art Museum, European Central Bank and the European Patent Office, as well as private collections in Estonia and all over the World, including Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, England, Italy, Germany, USA and Mexico.
Exhibitions at Kogo
Press and Publications
Publications
Aberration. Exercises with light and shadow
Kristi Kongi (ed.), 2017.
Artists’ Spaces
Annika Toots and Merilin Talumaa (eds.),
Estonian Art Academy Press, 2017.
I haven’t moved my head from the pillow
Kristi Kongi,Indrek Sirkel and Anu Vahtra (eds.), Lugemik, 2015.
Can’t go on. Must go on
Compiled by artists, exhibition catalogue, 2014.
Dear, I’m a Painting / Always Yours Blue Lagoon
Kati Ilves and Merike Estna (eds.), exhibition catalogue, 2014.
Bibliography
In English
The tour de force that is Kristi Kongi’s world of colours. Elnara Taidre looks at Kristi Kongi’s painting practice of recent years.
Magazine of Art and Visual Culture KUNST.EE, 3/2021.
Photo reportage from the exhibition Let me dream once more at Narva Museum Art Gallery.
EchoGoneWrong. 25.01.2021.
A Visual Essay on Today’s Colours
Visual essay by Kristi Kongi. Estonian Art 1/2019.
Photo reportage from the exhibition by Kristi Kongi and Mari-Leen Kiipli at the Kogo gallery
Echo Gone Wrong. 22.11.2018.
Kristi Kongi and Kasper Bosmans at Kumu Art Museum
Art Viewer. 08.10.2018.
The pictorial world of Kristi Kongi
Severine Grosjean. VHMOR. 08.07.2018.
Kristi Kongi’s Room of Nostalgia
Kati Ilves. Magazine of Art and Visual Culture KUNST.EE, 2/2015.
Kristi Kongi: I do enjoy long contemplation and pondering over things
Andreas Trossek. Magazine of Art and Visual Culture in Estonia KUNST.EE. 1/2014.
Kristi Kongi: Playing in the House of Color
Agnese Čivle. Arterritory, 05.08.2011.
In Estonian
Kunst sinu ümber. Maalikunstnik Kristi Kongi: Ärev-kummaline aeg võib panna meid uude suunda liikuma
Kaarin Kivirähk, Sten Ojavee. Postimees. 11.09.2020.
Maalikunstnik Kristi Kongi: Mehhiko andis mulle lihtsuse tagasi
Silvia Pärmann. Edasi.org. 13.11.2018.
Kunstilugu. Kristi Kongi: Värv kui materjal
Andreas Trossek. Vikerkaar, 3/2015.
Kristi Kongi nostalgiaruumid
Kati Ilves. Eesti visuaalkultuuri- ja kunsti ajakiri KUNST.EE, 2/2015.
Kristi Kongi: “Ma väga naudin pikalt mõtlemist ja asjade üle kaalumist”
Andreas Trossek. Eesti kunsti- ja visuaalkultuuri ajakiri KUNST.EE. 1/2014
Aus maalikunstnik Kristi Kongi
Hanna-Liis Kont. Müürileht. Märts, 2014.
Kristi Kongi ja Marta Stratskas maalivad paradiisi
Eha Komissarov. Eesti Ekspress. 19.04.2012.
Kristi värvimaja
Epifanio 15, 2011.
Kristi Kongi värvimuusika
Kadri Karro. Eesti Ekspress, 11.01.2011.
Kristi Kongi tõlkeprobleemid
Ragne Nukk. Äripäev, 19.11.2010.
CV
Kristi Kongi, born in 1985 in Tallinn, lives and works in Tallinn, Estonia.
Education
| 2008-2011 | Estonian Academy of Arts, Painting (MA); |
| 2004-2008 | Tartu Art College, Painting (BA); |
| 2006 | Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Fine Arts, Finland. |
Selected Solo Exhibitions
| 2022 | To Sense The Light, You Must Close Your Eyes, Kristi Kongi and Mare Vint, curator Peeter Talvistu. Tartu Art House, Tartu, Eestonia. |
| 2022 | (E)Motional Landscapes, Kogo Gallery representing Kristi Kongi and Laura Põld, curator Šelda Puķīte. Liste Art Fair Basel, Basel, Switzerland. |
| 2021 | … and Other Shades of Light, with Krista Mölder, curated by Siim Preiman at Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2021 | Imaginary Creatures at the Twilight 2. Rüki galerii, Viljandi, Estonia |
| 2021 | Shimmering star Magenta. Was it a dream or was it real? Kogo Gallery, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2020 | I See a Glow from the Seabed. It has No End, No Beginning. And the Colour Changes in Every Moment. Konteiner gallery, Kärdla, Hiiumaa, Estonia. |
| 2018 | Secret Whistle in the Forest, with Mari-Leen Kiipli. Kogo Gallery, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2018 | Mapping the Jungle. Karen Huber Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico. |
| 2018 | Kristi Kongi in Dialogue with Kasper Bosmans. Alchemists, Artists, Cleaners and Others. Together with Kasper Bosmans. KUMU Art Museum exhibition space, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2018 | Houses with Soul. Dedazo, Carrillo Puerto, Mexico. |
| 2017 | Aberration. Exercises with Light and Shadow. Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2016 | Have You Seen Yourself? Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2014 | Then. Now. Between All Those Times. Tallinn City Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2014 | Wish I Were a Bird. Orton Gallery, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2013 | Andogynic Mind Machines, with Raoul Kurvitz. Tallinn Art Hall Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2012 | Wish I Were a Bird. Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2012 | HEAVEN, with Marta Stratskas, Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2010 | Transformer. Draakon Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2010 | You are My Meow. SooSoo Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
Selected Group Exhibitions
| 2021 | Colour as an idea. Thoughts on colour, curated by Kristi Kongi. At ARS project space, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2021 | Savvala/Savage, curated by Eliza Ramza and Andris Eglitis, Duki/Jaundrusti, Latvija. |
| 2021 | Series of public art exhibitions titled Nocturnal visions. Pink cloud by Kristi Kongi. Explorer building at Kai 1, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2020/21 | Frenetic standstill, curated by Ilaria Bonacossa and Valerio Del Baglivo, GAM, Palazzo Madama, Torino, Italy. |
| 2020/21 | Let me dream once more. Merike Estna, Kristi Kongi, Kaarel Kurismaa, Holger Loodus and Anna Škodenko. Curator Kristi Kongi. Narva Museum Art Gallery, Narva, Estonia. |
| 2020 | Time to Dream or Fear?, Kogo Gallery, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2019/20 | Report to the Audience. Acquisitions of Tartmus. Curators Julia Polujanenkova, Heiti Kulmar. Tartmus, Tartu Art Museum, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2019 | Art Museum of Estonia 100. Open Collections: The Artist Takes the Floor. Curator Eha Komissarov. Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2019 | Women Artists from Pallas 1919-2019. Curator Reet Pulk-Piatkowska. Gallery Noorus, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2019 | Lines Composed During A Tour. Co-Lab Projects, Austin, United States of America. |
| 2017 | Children of the New East. Curated by Siim Preiman. Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2016 | Nomadic Images, 16th International Painting Triennial. Curated by Linas Liandzbergis. Museum of Applied Art, Vilnius, Lithuania. |
| 2016 | The Great Painter. Curated by Liisa Kaljula. Evald Okas Museum, Haapsalu, Estonia. |
| 2016 | Kilometre of Sculpture. Curated by Anna Vihma. Rakvere, Estonia. |
| 2016 | Köler Prize exhibition of nominees. Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2014-2015 | White Sheet – Three Visions. dFab, Riga Gallery, Riga, Latvia; Arka Gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania. |
| 2014 | Can’t Go On. Must Go On. Curated by Elin Kard and Mihkel Ilus. Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2014 | Merike Estna & I’m a painting. Curated by Merike Estna and Kati Ilves. Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2014 | Artishok Biennale. A+B=AB14. Mūkusalas Mākslas Salons, Riga, Latvia. |
| 2014 | Is This the Museum We Wanted? Curated by Rael Arter, Tartu Art Museum, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2013-2014 | Young Painter Prize. CAC, Vilnius, Lithuania. |
| 2013 | Are We not Drawn to New Era. Tartu Art House, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2012 | Speed of Darkness and Other Stories. KUMU Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2012 | Muuda oma meelt / Change Your Mind, Viljandi City Gallery, Viljandi, Estonia |
| 2011 | Young Painter Prize exhibition of finalists. Tatanikas, Vilnius, Lithuania. |
| 2011 | Zugzwang. Culture Factory Polymer, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2010-2011 | Girl Power. Artdepoo, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2010 | Zugzwang. Commune Art, Vilnius, Lithuania. |
| 2010 | Muutuv maalikunst / Painting in Process. Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2010 | 193 x 292. Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
Other Projects
| 2020 | Designer for the exhibition Invisible Monumental Painting, curated by Reeli Kõiv, in EKA Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2020 | Scenographer/artist in the performance You Will Be a Dancer! Director Liis Vares, performers Katarina Unt and Helen Reitsnik. Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2018 | Scenographer/artist in the performance Breathe, Do Not Breathe. Director Liis Vares. Performers Liis Vares and Pavel Semjonov. Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2016 | Performance Currency, curated by Gabriel Mestre. Tripitaka Water Bank, Kopenhagen, Denmark. |
Prizes and Scholarships
| 2022-24 | Artists’ and writers’ wage grant, Republic of Estonia Ministry of Culture; |
| 2017 | Konrad Mägi prize; |
| 2016 | Nominee of the Köler prize; |
| 2013 | Sadolin Art Prize; |
| 2011 | Young Artist Prize. |
Residencies
| 2018 | Dedazo residency, Carrillo Puerto, Mexico; |
| 2017 | Research residency, Mexico City, Mexico; |
| 2016 | De Liceiras, Porto, Portugal; |
| 2014 | Samband Íslenkra Myndlistarmanna (SÍM), Reykjavik, Iceland. |
Works in Collections
Estonian Art Museum, Tartu Art Museum, European Central Bank, European Patent Office;
Private collections in Estonia and all over the World including Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, England, Italy, Germany, USA, Mexico.
Eva Mustonen