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Laura Põld

Laura Põld’s practice is focused on exploring the dynamic agency and expressiveness of materials and media. Põld works with a diverse range of materials such as clay, wool, textiles, plants, metal and wood, engaging with them as mediums and active companions. This material-driven approach invites a dialogue between human and more-than-human forces that allows the works to evolve through resistance, transformation and nurturance. Her immersive installations challenge conventional hierarchies between art and craft to reimagine traditional methods and forms of making.

By weaving together the threads of materiality, mythology and language, Põld’s work speaks to the intersections of craft, feminism, ecology and folklore. Põld draws, in particular, on the rich traditions of Estonian runic songs (regilaul) and shamanic motifs, through which she explores the otherworldly and mythical to craft new ways of seeing and understanding the world. Her recent projects also address Estonia’s environmental and industrial legacies, representing a commitment to bridging human culture with ecological consciousness. Through a sensitive interplay of fragility and strength in both materials and themes, she pushes against conventional boundaries, inviting fresh perspectives as she does so.

Laura Põld (b. 1984 in Tallinn, Estonia) is an Estonian artist living in Tallinn and Vienna. Her formal education includes the study of ceramics at the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) in Tallinn (BA), painting at the University of Tartu (MA) and sculptural conceptions and ceramics at the University of Art and Design in Linz (MA). She is currently a visiting associate professor of installation and sculpture at EKA.

Põld’s recent exhibitions include Down the Rabbit Hole, MO Museum, Vilnius, Lithuania (2024), Art in the Age of the Anthropocene, Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia (2023); Common Threads, Polar Bear and Elephant, Kogo Gallery, Tartu, Estonia (2022/23); ars viva 2022 – Agents of Perception, Kai Centre, Tallinn, Estonia (2022); Walking Talking Minerals, Titanik, Turku, Finland (2021); Doing What They Do Best, Kunstraum Memphis, Linz, Austria (2021); Beings with – the wonder and trouble of togetherness, the Fiskars Village Art and Design Biennale 2019, Fiskars, Finland (2019); Descending from the liquid horizon, Le lieu unique, Nantes, France (2018/19); Hundreds of Illusions Charted as Land, Tartu Art Museum, Tartu, Estonia (2016). Recent art fairs in collaboration with Kogo Gallery include viennacontemporary, Vienna, Austria (2024, 2023); Esther, New York City, US (2024); Basel Social Club, Basel, Switzerland (2024); Art Brussels, Belgium (2023); Liste Art Fair Basel, Basel, Switzerland (2022).

Laura Põld has been awarded several prizes and scholarships, including the Claus Michaletz Preis (2021), the ISCP’s studio grant in New York (2019), the Grand Prize of The Cultural Endowment of Estonia (2018) and the Köler Prize Grand Prix (2016). She is and was also one of the recipients of the Estonian artist’s salary from 2023–2025 and from 2019–2021. 

Põld’s works are in the collection of the Kunstmuseum Bayreuth and the European Central Bank Art Collection, Germany; The Art Collection of the State of Upper Austria and the collection of Gmundner Keramik, Austria; the collections of the Art Museum of Estonia and Tartu Art Museum, Estonia; the Zuzāns Collection and the collections of the VV Foundation and the Rothko Museum, Latvia.

Press and Publications

CV

Laura Põld, born in 1984 in Tallinn, based in Tallinn and Vienna.

Education

2018-.2021 The University of Art and Design Linz, Department of sculptural Conceptions / Ceramics (MA);
2007-2010 Tartu University, Department of Painting (MA);
2003-2007 Estonian Art Academy, Department of Ceramics (BA).

Selected Solo- and Duo Exhibitions

2023 Fibers in the Cave, solo presentation at Art Brussels with Kogo Gallery, curated by Šelda Puķīte
2023 Translating and Co-labouring, AV17 Gallery, Vilnius
2022 The Nature of Measurement, Laura Põld and Magdalena Franczak, curator Stanisław Welbel, Austrian Cultural Forum, Warsaw, Poland.
2022 Common Threads, Polar Bear and Elephant, Laura Põld with Andres Tolts, curated by Šelda Puķīte, Kogo Gallery, Tartu, Estonia.
2022 (E)Motional Landscapes, Kogo Gallery representing Laura Põld and Kristi Kongi, curator Šelda Puķīte. Liste Art Fair Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
2021 Walking Talking Minerals, Laura Põld and Lou Sheppard, Titanik Gallery, Turku, Finland.
2021 Dirt is a record. Soil is an archive, POSITIONS Berlin 2021, Tempelhof Airport, Berlin, Germany.
2021 Dark blue smells salty, yellow tastes bitter, #09 Laura Põld, curated by Steffi Parlow, Kommod, Vienna, Austria.
2021 Doing What They Do Best, Kunstraum Memphis, Linz, Austria.
2020 Shedding Skin, Laura Põld and Piret Karro, Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia.
2020 Denial, Laura Põld and Katrin Väli, Tartu Art House, Tartu, Estonia.
2020 Beautiful Necessity, Laura Põld and Eva Volmerson, ARS Showroom, ARS ArtFactory, Tallinn, Estonia.
2019 Hello from inside, Studio #211, International Studio and Curatorial Program ISCP Fall Open Studios, New York, USA.
2019 Burrows. Flights, Laura Põld and Katrin Väli, Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia.
2018 Artists in Collection 10 x 10: Laura Põld, curated by Maarin Ektermann and Mary Talvistu, Kunda Cement Museum, Kunda, Estonia.
2017 So Small It Could Be Mine, Ateliers Höherweg e. V., Düsseldorf, Germany.
2016 Serving Makes Placewith Johna Hansen, Maebashi Works, Gunma, Japan.
2016 Awilda on a drift. Fireboat Tripitaka, Laura Põld and Johna Hansen, Christianshavn, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2016 Hundreds of Illusions Charted as Land, curated by Peeter Talvistu, Tartu Art Museum, Tartu, Estonia.
2015 Road To Silver MineGallery Chemin Du Bonheur, Hokuto-Shi, Japan.
2014 The Night Your Mate Danced Like a Tree, Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia.
2014 Ruins, Monumental Gallery, Tartu Art House, Tartu, Estonia.
2014 A Walk, a Wall, Some Mountainswith Titania Seidl, Ulrike Hrobsky Showroom for Young Art, Vienna, Austria.
2014 To Go to Bed by Day, Kunstkabinett Kunstverein Bayreuth, Germany.
2014 Castle, Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia.
2013 Duo exhibition with Sigita Daugule, Galerie Hrobsky, Vienna, Austria.
2013 Attempts to Stage a Landscape, Tallinn Art Hall Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia.
2012 Carolina Cyclone, Showroom for Young Art, Galerie Ulrike Hrobsky, Vienna, Austria.
2012 Home Sweet Home, with Mari Prekup, Old Town Art Gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania
2011 Lost & Found, Tallinn City Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia.
2010 Hope You Dance, with Adrijana Gvoydenovic, bm:ukk exhibition space, Vienna, Austria.
2010 Conversations With the Curtain, Tartu Art House, Tartu, Estonia.
2010 Fear, Veiko Klemmer and Laura Põld, Draakon Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia.

Selected Group Exhibitions

2023 To mold, To hold. Currents in Estonian ceramics, curated by Kati Saarits, Raili Keiv, Laura Põld, ARS factory project space, Tallinn. Eesti. 
2023 Art in the Age of the Anthropocene, curated by Linda Kaljundi, Eha Komissarov, Ulrike Plath, Bart Pushaw and Tiiu Saadoja, Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia. 
2023 shelter –sanctuary, curated by Helena Tulve, The Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM), Tallinn, Estonia. 
2023 INTIMTÄT Feelings are Facts, curated by Barbara Horvath, Kunstverein Eisenstadt, Austria.
2022 Growing Out? Growing Up? Contemporary Art Collecting in the Baltics, curated by Olga Temnikova, Zuzeum Art Centre, Riga, Latvia. 
2022 My Bitter Sweet Frankenstein Body, curated by Šelda Puķīte, Titanik gallery, Turku, Finland. 
2022 ars viva 2022 – Agents of Perception, curated by Maria Helen Känd, Kai Art Center, Tallinn, Estonia.
2021 Global Crises, Local Relationships, curated by Fruzsina Kigyós, Easttopics Gallery, Budapest, Hungary.
2021 Domestic Drama, curated by Cathrin
Mayer, Halle für KunstSteiermark, Graz, Austria.
2021 The Bambi Project, curated by Šelda Puķīte, Kogo Gallery, Tartu, Estonia.
2021 Haus Wien, Favoriten, with PK/K, curated by Laurence Sturla Vienna, Austria.
2021 CREO ERGO SUM. Baltic Contemporary Ceramic Art. In the framework of the 3rd Latvia Ceramics Biennale programme, The Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Riga, Latvia.
2021 Lebhafte Materie, curated by Stephanie Winter & Jan Gustav Fiedler, Motherboard project space, Vienna, Austria.
2021 Mud mother #1 / Bathybius haeckelii, New Jörg, Vienna, Austria.
2021 T.O.M.B.O.L.A., bb15, Linz, Austria.
2020 6×2=75, Galerie Atelierhaus Salzamt, Linz, Austria.
2020 Ceramic Laboratory, Mark Rothko Art Centre, Daugavpils, Latvia.
2019 Bitter waters to reach the sweet, Alte Schieberkammer, Vienna, Austria.
2019 Beings with, curated by Jenni Nurmenniemi, Fiskars Biennale, Fiskars, Finland.
2019 What keeps me, curated by Pille Kaleviste, Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design,
Tallinn, Estonia.
2018 Ascending From the Liquid Horizon, curated by Kati Ilves, Le Lieu Unique, Nantes, France.
2018 How to: Live. Virtual Biographies, curated by Marika Agu, Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia.
2018 Lola Liivat. Spiritual resistance, curated by Hanna-Liis Kont, Tartu Art Museum, Tartu, Estonia.
2018 Everyday Witchcraft, curated by Merilin Talumaa, Kogo Gallery, Tartu, Estonia.
2018 Contemporary Art from Estonia, curated by Britta von Campenhausen, ECB, Frankfurt, Germany.
2018 Boarderline, curated by Peeter Talvistu, Valga Museum, Valga, Estonia.
2018 Hole in the Grey Curtain, curated by Sam Basu, Treignac Projet, Treignac, France.
2018 No Reptiles, Justice, curated by Sebastian Mittl, Vienna, Austria.
2018 Elisabeth Altenburg / Nahid Behboodian / Laura Põld, Atelierhaus Salzamt Linz Gallery, Linz, Austria.
2017 Failure / Afterlife, Estonian Photographic Art Fair, Telliskivi Creative City, Tallinn, Estonia.
2017 MUSAOMasc Foundation, Vienna, Austria.
2017 Intra-Structures – Monster of the Seven Lakes, curated by Jussi Koitela, Treignac Projet, Treignac, France.
2017 Structured Frustrations, curated by Samira Hashemi, CC. art space Isfahan, Esfahan, Iran.
2016 Shiro Oni Studio, group IV 2016, Onishi Brewery, Gunma, Japan.
2016 The Great Paintercurated by Liisa Kaljula, Evald Okas Museum, Haapsalu, Estonia.
2016 Sense of Place, Tallinn Art Hall Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia.
2015 New Building, Tartu Art Museum, Tartu, Estonia.
2015 Art Market Budapest, represented by Vaal Gallery (EE), Budapest, Hungary.
2015 Tule lummuses, Kohila Sümpoosium 15, Tallinn Art Hall Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia.
2015 Fucking Andy, Eden, Techno, Disco. Mo. ë, Vienna, Austria.
2014 New Material, Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia.
2014 Väljasõit rohelisse. Tartu 1860-2014, Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn, Estonia.
2014 Tallinn – Carcassonne, Jesuit College and Chapel, Carcassonne, France.
2013 Kunst in der Landschaft 9, Gut Gasteil, Prigglitz, Austria.
2013 7. ICA, Art Without Borders, Kulmbach, Germany.
2013 CHA-2013, The Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia.
2012 Archeology and the Future of Estonian Art From Private Collections, Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia.
2012 Collection of Desires. Privatized Art, curated by Anders Härm, Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia.
2012 Reproduktionen, Künstraum Zögernitz, Vienna, Austria.
2012 Ateliers: exhibition and open studios, Showroom Ulrike Hrobsky, Vienna, Austria.
2012 NordArt 2012, Büdelsdorf, Germany.
2012 NOT ONLY, Factory-Art Gallery, Berlin, Germany.
2012 Collective Video Bohai, Luminale 2012, Frankfurt, Germany.
2012 TALLINZ, Atelierhaus Salzamt, Linz, Germany.
2011 Estonian Painting: Laura Põld, Maarit Murka, Sirja-Liisa Eelma, Old Town Art Gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania.
2011 Young Painter Prize 2011, Art Center Titanic, Vilnius, Lithuania.
2011 The Family, März Project Space, Tallinn, Estonia.
2011 Confrontations and Provocations. An Insight into Estonian Contemporary Art, curated by Eha Komissarov, National Museum of Warsaw, Poland and Contemporary Art Museum, Szczecin, Poland.

Curated Exhibitions

2021 Mountains are time, Atelierhaus Salzamt, Linz, Austria.
2018 one-on-one. on skills, curated together with Kati Saarits, Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia EKKM, Tallinn, Estonia.

Residencies

2020 Ceramic Laboratory, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Ceramics;
2019 International Studio & Curatorial Program, ISCP-EKKAK residency, New York, USA;
2018 Kunda Cement Museum;
2018 Atelierhaus Salzamt Linz, Austria;
2017 Treignac Projet, France;
2017 Va space for contemporary art, Isfahan, Iran;
2017 Ateliers Höherweg e.V. Düsseldorf, Germany;
2016 Maebashi Works, Gunma, Japan;
2016 Shiro Oni Studio, Gunma, Japan;
2015 AIRY, Kofu, Yamanashi, Japan;
2014 XIV International Kohila Ceramic Symposium, Kohila, Estonia;
2011 Atelierhaus Salzamt, Linz, Austria;
2010 Artist in Residence, Schloss Laudon, Vienna, Austria.

Prizes and Scholarships

2021 Claus Michaletz Preis, POSITIONS Berlin 2021;
2019-2021 Artists’ and writers’ wage grant, Republic of Estonia Ministry of Culture;
2019 ISCP-EKKAK residency at ISCP, New York;
2018 Annual Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia;
2016 Köler Prize grand prix;
2014 Annual award of Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Foundation of Fine and Applied Arts;
2013 Ado Vabbe prize;
2009 DoRa scholarship, CAA conference, Los Angeles, USA;
2008 Eduard Wiiralt prize;
2008 Kalmus scholarship for a young artist.

Professional Membership

2021 forum – Kunstuniversität Linz;
2021 IG Gildende Kunst, Wien;
2018 Estonian Ceramists’ Association;
2011 Tartu Artists’ Union;
2010 Estonian Artists’ Association.

Works in Collections

European Central Bank Art Collection, Frankfurt, Germany
Bayreuthi Art Museum, Germany
Tartu Art Museum, Estonia

Monograph

Peeter Talvistu (ed.), Laura Põld and Hundreds of Illusions Charted as Land, Tartu Art Museum, 2016

Selected Publications in English

Stacey Koosel, Beige Magic, Arterritory 27.08.2018.
Artmirror, “Everyday Witchcraft” at Kogo Gallery, 23.08.2018.
Photo reportage from the exhibition ‘Everyday Witchcraft’ at Kogo gallery, Echo Gone Wrong, 20.08.2018.
Six Questions: Laura Põld, Tique | art paper, 2017.
Merilin Talumaa, Annika Toots (eds.), Artists’ Spaces. 16 studio visits, Estonian Academy of Arts Press, 2017.
Maris Karjatse, Means of Reaching a Destination, Magazine of Art and Visual Culture in Estonia KUNST.EE, 2/2016.
Köler Prize 2016, Tique | art paper.
Photo reportage from Johna Hansen, Katrine Gram Sloth and Laura Põld’s joint exhibition at the Art Hall Gallery, Tallinn, Echo Gone Wrong, 20.04.2016.
Agnese Čivle, Odrija Fišere, Baltic Art Superstar, Where Are You?, Arterritory, 06.04.2016.
Jessie Churchill, Looking at Painting. Volume 2, Leeds, 2016.
Emma Duester, Artist Mobility and the Baltic Cities: Revealing a Transnational Art World, Echo Gone Wrong, 18.02.2014.
Laura Põld, An Education – Laura Põld, Estonian Art 2/14.

Works
6772, , 1,
Installation (steel, tufted rugs, plywood, varnish, paint), 131 × 132 × 132 cm, 2022
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Installation (steel, tufted rugs, plywood, varnish, paint), 182 × 229 × 4 cm, 2022
6776, , 1,
Installation (steel, tufted rugs, plywood, varnish, paint), 115 × 142 × 4 cm, 2022
6274, , 1,
Tufted rug, rope, felt, 135 × 180 cm, 2022
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Tufted rugs, rope, 38 × 68 × 37 cm, 2021
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Tufted rugs, plywood, varnish, 205 × 60 × 3 cm, 2021
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Tufted rugs, plywood, varnish, 95 × 80 × 90 cm, 2021
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Low fire ceramics, 2018
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Low fire ceramics, 2018
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Cotton, wool, hand-tufted, 190 × 130 cm, 2022
6965, , 1,
Hand-tufted rug with fringes, 150 × 90 cm, 2022
6967, , 1,
Steel, wool, 80 × 60 cm, 2022
6969, , 1,
Steel, 80 × 60 cm, 2022
7337, , 1,
Tufted wool, burlap, rope , 280 × 480 cm, 2022–2023
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Wool, acrylic, burlap, felt, 110 × 105 × 2 cm, 2023
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Wool, acrylic, burlap, felt, 145 × 192 × 2 cm, 2023
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8274, , 1,
Tufted rug, 400 × 90 cm, 2021
8276, , 1,
Ceramics, 34 × 24 × 2.5 cm, 2020
Sold
8278, , 1,
Ceramics, 38 × 26,5 × 2.5 cm, 2020
8280, , 1,
Ceramics, 35 × 23 × 2.5 cm, 2020
8283, , 1,
Ceramics, 30 × 40 × 2.5 cm, 2020
8285, , 1,
Ceramics, 31.3 × 21 × 2.5 cm, 2020
8289, , 1,
Ceramics, 32 × 22 × 2.5 cm, 2020
Sold
8291, , 1,
Ceramics, 30.2 × 20 × 2.5 cm, 2019
8293, , 1,
Ceramics, 31 × 22 × 2.5 cm, 2020
Sold
8749, , 1,
Burlap, tufted wool and acrylic, 70 × 80 cm, 2022
8751, , 1,
Burlap, tufted wool and acrylic, 105 × 70 cm, 2022
8840, , 1,
Ceramics, 60 × 30 × 20 cm, 2018
8842, , 1,
Earthenware ceramics, 24 × 26 × 5 cm, 2018–2019
8844, , 1,
Earthenware ceramics, 26 × 16 × 5 cm, 2018–2019
8846, , 1,
Earthenware ceramics, 41 × 30 × 5 cm, 2018–2019
8991, , 1,
Ceramics, 24 × 35 × 12 cm, 2018–2019
8993, , 1,
Ceramics, 21 × 33 × 4 cm, 2018–2019
8995, , 1,
Ceramics, 38 × 31 × 4 cm, 2018–2019
8998, , 1,
Ceramics, 23 × 33 × 8 cm, 2018–2019
9000, , 1,
Porcelain, 21 × 19 × 4.5 cm, 2018–2019
9003, , 1,
Ceramics, 90 × 60 × 65 cm, 2019
9005, , 1,
Porcelain, 15.5 × 12 × 2 cm, 2018–2019
9007, , 1,
Ceramics, 40 × 40 × 35 cm, 2019
Sold
9009, , 1,
Ceramics, 25 × 34 × 30 cm, 2019
9011, , 1,
Ceramics, 90 × 32 × 30 cm, 2019
9017, , 1,
Ceramics, 22 × 38 × 33 cm, 2019
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9036, , 1,
9013, , 1,
Ceramics, porcelain, 50 × 47 × 53 cm, 2019
9142, , 1,
Steel, paint, ceramics, wool dyed with beet root, cotton yarn, gravel, magnet, 254 × 197 × 32 cm, 2024

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