In the exhibition “Values,” the Estonian artist Kati Kerstna (b.1970) raises questions about what is truly valuable. How valuable, diverse, or poor would the world, or a specific environment, be if certain elements were missing? Or if there were more of them? Would existence even be possible at all?
Kati Kerstna is known for combining artistic expression and environmental advocacy, creating thought-provoking works using glass, light, and mixed media. Since graduating from the Estonian Academy of Arts in 2001, she has been featured in numerous international exhibitions, addressing themes such as environmental pollution, global warming, and deforestation through her innovative installations.
In S12, Kerstna presents the works Values 1 & 2, two large hands made of glass hanging from the ceiling, in the dark gallery space. The first work, Values 1, is about bees – Kerstna emphasizes that it may sound like a cliché, and we have all heard it many times before, but without bees, life would not be possible on this planet. Staying alive depends on the diversity of species. VALUES 2 presents the plants of the famous square meter of Laelatu wooded meadow, Estonia. In 2001, 76 different plant species were identified and recorded there, placing this square meter as the second most diverse in the world in terms of species richness.
Through this exhibition, Kerstna challenges viewers to reflect on the consequences of imbalance in natural biological diversity and its impact on life as we know it today.
On Saturday, February 10th, at 2:00 PM, there will be an artist talk with Kati Kerstna. In addition to discussing her own work, she will present a selection of Estonian glass artists.