Kunstnik
Kuraator
On Friday, 29 October at 6pm Edith Karlson opens her new solo exhibition “Return to Innocence” at the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM). Exhibiting on all three floors of the museum, Karlson turns her gaze towards the darker, filthier, funnier and gentler side of existence. The exhibition rooms at EKKM are transformed into spaces, where we come across all sorts of unexpected objects – terracotta eternity and Virgin Mary, an orchid and a bell jar, a tiny Christ and never-ending Enya. In addition to Karlson’s original pieces, the show also includes artworks from the Art Museum of Estonia, the Estonian History Museum, the Tartu City Museum and the archaeological research collection of the Tallinn University.
Edith Karlson is a sculptor, working with animalistic and brutal characters, untouched by the anguish of civilisation. The rough detailing of the surfaces, the seemingly unfinished and grotesque swollen form of Karlson’s sculptures speak to the undercurrents of our dark urges and primal horizons. Karlson’s work also invites more abstract questions of desires, death, sexuality and sacredness, offering a more raw and bodily experience instead of affirmation or negation of capitalism – it is the triumph of abject.
The exhibition is open until 12 December. / NB! prolonged until 19th of December!
Artist Edith Karlson; curator Eero Epner; spatial design Arthur Arula; lighting design Oliver Kulpsoo; graphic design Margus Tamm.
Special thanks to: Katrin Kissa, Maria Luiga, Loora Kaubi, Johanna Ulfsak, Raul Saaremets, Lya and Urmas Karlson, Art Allmägi, Raimond Danilov, Enna Jürine, Tõnno Jonuks, Elnara Taidre, Juta Kivimäe, Eve Alttoa, Kaur Alttoa, Isabel Aaso-Zahradnikova, Kersti Kuldna, Märt Haamer, Kadri Haamer, Kaur Vahtrik.
The exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, the Estonian Ministry of Culture, Alas-Kuul, Overall, Wienerberger, Wolf Group (Penosil), Akzo Nobel Baltics, Estonian Drama Theatre, Põhjala Brewery, friends of Edith Karlson.
The exhibition is accompanied by curatorial tours in English, Estonian and Russian. Tours are for free but pre-booking is required.
In English – 26 November and 9 December, 6pm
LINK to register
In Estonian – 10 and 24 November, 8 December, 6pm
Curatorial tours by Eero Epner – 30 October 12pm and 10 December 6pm
LINK to register
In Russian – 4 and 25 November, 6pm
LINK to register