The exhibition of Laur Kivistik’s art collection “Viljandi–Tallinn”

On Thursday, 9th of January at 6 pm will open the exhibition of Laur Kivistik’s art collection titled “Viljandi–Tallinn” at Vaal Gallery. The exhibition will remain open until 8th of February, Tue–Fri 12–6 pm and Sat 12–4 pm.

Laur Kivistik’s art collection is characterised by paradoxes, which are innovative, elegant and vivid, as well as expanding the boundaries of perception. Furthermore, quite many artworks are intellectually in operation and functional. His art collection is stationed in a wide range of commercial and residential buildings, since in addition to his private home, he has several rental business properties in Tallinn and Viljandi. A growing interest in art has led him naturally to the next step – in 2019 he opened the Rüki Gallery in the old granary in his hometown Viljandi. A year ago, he also established an artist residency there. The Rüki gallery has quickly become an established exhibition space in the Estonian art scene.

Laur’s collection of artworks is clearly focused on contemporary art, including also photography, a genre that has so far remained on the margin of the Estonian art scene. Laur himself explains that his daily life in real estate business naturally requires an interest in architecture. “And when we were compiling a book about Saarinen Building in Tallinn, we needed great photographs for it, and that’s how I got to meet the artist Paul Kuimet, with whom I still work today.” The selection of photographs here also features some other authors. In the Estonian context, his interest in collecting sculptures equally deserves to be acknowledged.

Laur is thus both an art collector and a kind of cultural space shuttle between Viljandi and Tallinn.