This September, Meeli Kõiva presented an overview of glass and light art for the Stockholm city council, at a light seminary held by the city’s environmental department, where she was invited as one of the main performers. The aim of the seminary was to inspire local designers to use the latest environment-friendly technologies in illuminating the Old Town.
Many companies introduced their new lighting technologies. Meeli Kõiva, whose presentation was titled “Glass touches lght, electrified by the artist’s handwriting,” spoke of the use of glass and various lighting technologies in art. Meeli Kõiva is recognized in the world as a pioneer of glass and light art, having experimented with glass, lasers, fiber optics and other new technologies for years. Applying these, she has devised innovative light objects both in Estonia and abroad; regrettably, none have been executed in Estonia so far.
All the more welcome is Stockholm’s interest in something new, original and environment-friendly. Kõiva’s laser compositions and fiber optical light sculptures aroused special interest at the seminary.

On October 5, young glass designer Kristi Kask presented her first private view Stripe and Dot at the Craftworld Gallery of the Tallinn Department Store.
She exhibits more than 50 decor solutions for glassware, based on the contrast of matte and clear surfaces. Her main design elements are series of horizontal lines (RINGS series) and round dots (DOTS series), applied to clear glass cylinders of various sizes. The designs were executed by the author at the Skankristall/Tarbeklaas factory in 2002-2004 and took contemporary interior design as a starting point.
The resulting works are elegant and fashionable 21th century designs.
Opent thru Oct.11
Text: Maie-Ann Raun
Curator: Aime Raimets
Setup: Aino Jakobi

PRESS RELEASE

Maie-Ann Raun’s exhibition MOTHER (GLASS) RIVER opens August 26, 2004 in the Tartu Art Hall.

The impulse behind her creations is the dynamics of water. Running diagonally across the gallery floor is an installation of turquoise green glass waves, inspired by the flow of Emajõgi (Mother River) that runs through the city of Tartu. The glass is speckled with bubbles of air, reminiscent of foam and splashing water.

Red glass objects contrast the green river, bearing associations of riverside fall colours.

Open thru Sept. 13.

Thanks to: Tarbeklaas factory, esttonian Artists’ Union, MR Piller,

Jaan Rüütmann; Urmas Ott; Tõnis Paberit; Külli Aleksanderson; Merle Lobjakas

Special thanks to master glassblower Raivo Uri, who executed the works – for cooperation that started in 2003, when M. Raun became head designer of the Tarbeklaas factory.

Contacts:

Külli Aleksanderson

5226253

Tartu Artists’ Union

Vanemuise 26, Tartu

Maie-Ann Raun

6617079; 5518378

Tarbeklaas factory

Marati 12, Tallinn

The Hansabank competition for art projects, “Let’s Make the Stars Shine,” awarded our project to build a new glass annealing kiln in Haapsalu.

PRESS RELEASE

The Rise of a New Wave, an exhibition of glass design, opened August 5 at the Design and Architecture Gallery in Tallinn, where more than 100 new product designs for the Tarbeklaas factory can be seen. The young gauthors – KRISTI KASK, KAJA VAIKRE and EERO VAIKRE
– graduated from the Estonian Academy of Art this spring.
The works harmonize with contemporary interior design; polyfunctional glassware in clear glass features geometric forms and matted surfaces. The exposition can be viewed as an installation of light; a luminary by Kristi Kask completes the theme. Created as a graduation masterpiece, this object has been exhibited at the Viinistu Art Museum and at the “Maritima” glashow in Haapsalu.
the young authors’ works demonstrate freshness, energy and daring.
The exhibit was designed by Maile Grünberg, curated by Maie-Ann Raun (tel. 55 18 378).
open thru August 12

Tiina Sarapu won the first prize at the Italian Trieste Contemporanea Design Contest.
Glass artist Tiina Sarapu’s design sketch “Roundelay” won the first prise in Italian Trieste Contemporanea Design Contest. “Roundelay” is based on the skirt motives of the Estonian national costume and on the traditions of Venetian glass. The first prise was shared by Sarapu and a team of Swiss-Italian designers. According to Prof Mare Saare, a member of the jury, it was simplicity, practicality and multi-functionality that distinguished “Roundelay” from the rest of the works in the competition, the number of which was over 200.

Sung-Hwan Hong from Korea, with his double-bubble pipe

For the second year, a hot glass workshop took place in the yard of the Evald Okas Museum. Titled “Maritima”, the event was dedicated to the 725th jubilee of Haapsalu City. Maritima, the Latin word for “seaside” was used in the 13th century to refer to the West Estonian province. Organized by the Estonian Glass artists’ Union, in cooperation with the Evald Okas Museum, the event lasted from June 28 through July 4. Continue reading →

PRESS RELEASE
On July 15, Maie-Ann Raun, the head designer for the Tarbeklaas factory, opened her exhibition at the Design & Architecture Gallery in Tallinn, titled “The Sea.”
The dominant feature of the show is an installation “The Sea,” made up of 60 glass waves.
Other exhibited works bear somewhat marine connotations as well: the HÜTI collection – a set of reconstructions of 17th century glass from Hüti, on the isle of Hiiumaa. Made between 1628 and 1664 , the collection included everyday and luxury glassware. The reconstructions were executed at the
SKANKRISTALL factory in 2003 and TARBEKLAAS factory in 2004; historical sources used for the work are being preserved at the Estonian Museum of History.
The exhibition celebrates the beginnings of the Estonian glass industry 375 years ago; its continuity and centuries-old tradition of high standards. It is a contrasting symbiosis of the present day and history, assuring the potential of glassmaking in Estonia in the 21th century.
OÜ Tarbeklaas
Phone: 55 18 378
M.-A.Raun