Kaarel Kurismaa

Kaarel Kurismaa (1939) is one of the pioneers sound and kinetic art in Estonia. In his artworks he brings together movement, light, sound and form, both in monumental and smaller objects. Kurismaa uses seemingly simple imagery, constructing streamlined pulsating and sound-emitting kinetic devices from found objects. His bright-coloured works often feature mythological creatures. His work took a new turn in the 1990s, moving from brightly coloured objects based on the principles of pop art to sound installations with a more technical language.

Kurismaa graduated from Tartu Art School with a degree in design in 1965 and from the Estonian State Institute of Art with a degree in painting in 1971. He has received the Kristjan Raud Prize (1996) and several awards from the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (1995, 1997, 2019). His works belong to the collections of Tartu Art Museum, Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn Art Hall, Zimmerli Art Museum as well as private collections.