Save listKristi Kongi
Kristi Kongi (born 1985) studied painting in Tartu, Tallinn, and Lahti and currently lives and works in Tallinn.
The central theme, material, and inspiration of Kongi’s art practice is color. Despite the fact that Kongi’s works seem, at first glance, to be joyful and energetic, they do not have accidental or solely spontaneous color expression. The visual language of her paintings, which are easy to quickly define as examples of geometric abstraction, revolves around systemic studies of light and color, being in particular analytic and organised. Kongi is a watchful observer, keen on conducting experiments and making intelligent conclusions, whose work results in a canvas or site-specific installation. Kongi’s painted spatial installation “The Confectionery Factory” could be permanently seen in the lobby of the Tartu Art Museum.
Kong has awarded the Young Artist Award in 2011, Sadolin Art Award 2013, she was nominated for the Köler Prize in 2016 and she won the Konrad Mägi Prize in 2017.
More info on Kristi Kongi’s webpage.
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: I do enjoy ling contemplation and pondering over things
Andreas Trossek. Magazine of Art and Visual Culture in Estonia KUNST.EE. 1/2014
Kristi Kongi (1985) lives and works in Tallinn, Estonia.
Education
| 2008-2011 | Estonian Academy of Arts, Painting (MA) |
| 2004-2008 | Tartu Art College, Painting (BA) |
| 2004 | Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Fine Arts, Finland |
Selected Solo Exhibitions
| 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, 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
| 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 Virtanen, 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 |
Performances
| 2016 | Currency, curated by Gabriel Mestre, Tripitaka Water Bank, Kopenhagen, Denmark |
Prizes and Scholarships
| 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 |
Books
| Kristi Kongi (ed.), Aberration. Exercises with light and shadow, 2017. |
| Annika Toots and Merilin Talumaa (eds.), Artists’ Spaces, Estonian Art Academy Press, 2017. |
| Kristi Kongi, Indrek Sirkel and Anu Vahtra (eds.), I haven’t moved my head from the pillow, Lugemik, 2015. |
| Compiled by artists, Can’t go on. Must go on, exhibition catalogue, 2014. |
| Kati Ilves and Merike Estna (eds.), Dear I’m a Painting / Always Yours Blue Lagoon, exhibition catalogue, 2014. |
Publications
Kati Ilves, Kristi Kongi nostalgiaruumid, Magazine of Art and Visual Culture KUNST.EE, 2/2015.
Andreas Trossek, Kunstilugu, Vikerkaar, 3/2015.
Andreas Trossek, Kristi Kongi: Ma väga naudin pikalt mõtlemist ja asjade üle kaalumist, Magazine of Art and Visual Culture KUNST.EE, 1/2014.
Agnese Čivle, Kristi Kongi: Playing in the House of Color, Arterritory, 05.08.2011.
Works in Collections
Tartu Art Museum
Private collections in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, England, Italy
Kristi Kongi
Secret Whistle in the Forest
Painting installation, mixed media
2018
Exhibition
Secret Whistle in the ForestKristi Kongi
On Warm Horizon. How to Read a Jungle?
Oil on canvas
55 x 55 cm
2018
Exhibition
Viewing and Reading Room
Kristi Kongi
Topography of Broken Dreams
Oil on canvas
70 x 67 cm
2018
Exhibition
Viewing and Reading RoomKristi Kongi
The Evening Light Moved Fast. I Knew That Two Floors Above the Sea Is Visible
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
Somewhere In the Depths of the Cliff, There Seemed a Frightening Crimson
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
Burning Magenta. Although Located On the Border Of Hot and Cold?
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
It Was a Late Summer Rainy Night. What Smells In the Garden!
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
The Light Changes. The Colour Changes. It Has Always Been the Case. And So It Remains
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
Yellow Always Has So Much Power. Lemon and Chrome Yellow. I’m Trying to Get Ahead Somehow. I’m Trying to Understand
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
I Have Never Seen Before This Kind of Sneaky Orange Light From the Window
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
Ice-Cold Turquoise Led the Minds to Wander the Distances
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
Purple Showed Danger, But I Still Moved Straight Across the Airport
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
Dangerous Indian Yellow Just Rushed Down From the Sky. Being Marvellous
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
These Black Pearls Gave Me a Chance to Be Honest. Although the Second Row Clearly Glowed Cobalt Purple
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
Private: Clouds Were At the Room and Helped Me to Daydream. Pinkish Light Came From the Doorway
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
In private collection
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
The Heat Made Me Gasp. The Shimmering Sky With Magenta Made Me Gasp
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
Gigantic Ice Roots Stretching From the Surface, Flame Up, Shone, Glow, Sparkled, In an Immense Underground Cathedral, Like Countless Prisms of Light (Witi Ihimaera)
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
To Sense the Light, You Have To Close Your Eyes. You Have To Think With Your Eyes Closed
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
Sudden Hail Melted the Borders of All Colours
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
If I Have Northern Lights, I Don’t Need Anything Else In My Life
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
I Ran Away From the Colours, But They Still Came After Me
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
The Brightest Moment of the Day At Once Made the Whole Surroundings Clear. Or It Brightened My Mind
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
The Evening Light Moved Fast. I Knew That Two Floors Above the Sea Is Visible
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?
Kristi Kongi
Magenta Completely Changed Me. Emotionally Fluctuate
Mixed media on paper
21 x 18
2020
A piece from the series of watercolours named ” Is There Any Light And Colour Left?” at the exhibition “Time to Dream or Fear?”. The whole series is like a diary of everyday observations regarding light, colours and emotions, expressing the richness and nuances of aesthetic perception.
Exhibition
Time to Dream or Fear?