PRESS RELEASE

RAOUL KURVITZ's (1961) personal exhibition Project VOOL will be opened in Hobusepea and Draakon galleries at 5pm on March 24, 2010.

Current art project is considerably ambitious in its purpose to redescribe the world according to the changes of the last decade. One of the characteristic images of the modernistic world was the tree with its upwardly hierarchical structure and paranoically monomaniacal and dominant trunk that in postmodernist conditions figuratively fell into firewood and was replaced by planar rhizomatic and also schizophrenic fragmentarity and non-hierarchical plurality. Currently, a new leading principle is re-uniting, re-melting and dangerously re-unitarizing those fragmentarities – the principle that I would virtually define as „VOOL“ and actually define as „vool“ or „vools“. In order to distinguish these from their usual meanings (flow, fluxus, tao etc.) I suggest that the definition should remain in its original language i.e. Estonian.

Present project is in search and in a creative process for the most generally understandable metaphors and figurative situation models in order to depict the changed situation, including quite a wide spectrum of themes concerning the main subject of further discussions: epistemology, politology, liquefied relations (concerning work, love, and other human acts); finance, new types of media, new types of wars, new technologies – concentrating on the definition of „VOOL“. There are plenty of topics and all of them require professional approach – therefore the next phase of the current project would be an international discussion project with participation of various artists, philosophers and professionals (for instance artist and curator Doron Polak from Israel; artist and philosopher Raoul Teulings from the Netherlands; artist and producer Norma Drimmer from Berlin and many others). Discussions are planned to take place at least in 20 different countries.

The main epistemological basis of the project lies of fund in Henri Bergson's (French philosopher) ideas and the expanded ideas by Gilles Deleuze; in writings „Liquid love“, „Liquid Fear“ etc. by Zygmunt Bauman and in my personal interpretations of these writings. Painting, drawing techniques, sound and text serve as the artistic media that have been used for this project.

Inspiering impressions!

Raoul Kurvitz

Exhibition will be open in Hobusepea gallery until April 12 and in Draakon gallery until April 10, 2010.

Exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

Ants Juske. Raoul Kurvitz seilab uutel hoovustel. EPL, 31.03.2010

RAOUL KURVITZ
Born on February 3rd, 1961, Tallinn, Estonia

EDUCATION

1979 - 1984  Estonian Academy of Arts, architecture

MEMBERSHIPS

1988  Association of Estonian Architects
1990  Estonian Artists Association

PEDAGOGICAL ACTIVITY

1989 – 1990; 1997 Tallinn Art School, lecturer (general composition, drawing,     painting,
          performance art; theory & practice)
1991: Copenhagen School for Arts; theory & practice of performance art
1999: Tallinn Theatre Institute; theory & practice performance art
1993 – 1996: painting; theory & practice;  Estonian Art Academy (EKA))
2000: theory of art; lectures ; EKA
2002: theory of art; lectures ; EKA
2003 – 2004: introduction to visual semiotics, visual syntax; theory; Estonian Humanitary
          Institute (EHI)
2004  - 2005: introduction to visual semiotics; visual syntax; theory; EKA
2002, 2003, 2004, 2006: workshops of site-specific art in nature; EKA 
2004 – 2005: theory of popular culture; EHI
2006: contemporary picture; (theory & practice of painting & general visualization); EKA
2007-2009: phenomenalistic drawing, phenomenalistic painting, workshops of
          interdisciplinary arts, theory of popular culture; EKA

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

1991  Ormus I. Intermedia Centre Fylkingen, Stockholm, Sweden
1992  Ormus II. Gallery “Marius Projekt”, Copenhagen, Denmark
1992  Myra Art Limited I. Gallery “Vaal”, Tallinn, Estonia
1992  Myra Art Limited II. Gallery of the Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
1992  Infected. Gallery “Okra”, Vantaa, Finland
1993  Ormus III. Gallery “Luum”, Tallinn, Estonia
1993  Gallery “Sammas”, Tallinn, Estonia
Topographic. “Rüütli” Gallery, Tartu, Estonia
1999  Symphony Si-b minor (“Postapocalyptica”), Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn
He and She (with Ene-Liis Semper), Gallery “Noass”, Riga, Latvia
About Love. Gallery “Vaal”, Tallinn, Estonia
Empire. City Gallery of Rakvere, Rakvere, Estonia
2003  War of Cones. House of Estonian Parliament, Tallinn, Estonia
2004  New and Unknown. Viinistu Art Museum, Viinistu, Estonia
2007  Aunt Clara & Others; Gallery „Vaal”, Tallinn, Estonia
2008  During the Times of Statue Wars. „Hobusepea Galerii”, Tallinn, Estonia

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS, INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS

1986 -- 1991, 1996  “Rühm T” exhibitions, Tallinn, Estonia
1988  Triennial of Young Baltic Art, Vilnius, Lithuania
1989  WE - YOU - MUU. Billnäs, Finland
1989 -- 1991  Structure / Metaphysics. Group exhibition of Estonian artists.
                      Finland : Pori Art Museum, Pori; Helsinki Art Hall,                                            
                      Helsinki; Rovaniemi Art Museum, Rovaniemi;
                      Germany : Kiel City Gallery, Kiel; Gallery “Nemo”, Eckenförde;
                      Sweden : Stockholm Kulturhuset, Liljevalch’s Art Hall,
                      Stockholm; Linköping Museum, Linköping
1990  Baltic Painting Triennial, Vilnius, Lithuania
1990  Exhibition of 15 Estonian artists. Gallery “GKM”, Malmö, Sweden
1992  Forma Anthropologica. Group exhibition of artists from Baltic States.
          Tallinn Art Hall, Gallery “Luum”, Gallery of the Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn, 
          Estonia
1992  Myth and Abstraction. Estonian contemporary art. Karlsruhe, Germany                                                         
1993  Aujourd'hui les Baltes. Group exhibition of artists from Baltic States.
          L‘Ecole Nationale Supèrieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France
1993  Castle of Imagination. Zachodnio-Kaszubskie Museum, Bytow, Poland
1993  Eleonora. International performance festival, Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn,
          Estonia
1993  Terra Incognita. International communication project within the
          framework of the Venice Biennial. Energy Station, Helsinki, Finland;
          Gallery “Le Sous-Sol”, Paris, France; Moltkerei, Cologne, Germany
1993 -- 1994  French-Baltic video art festival. Riga, Latvia; Vilnius, Lithuania;  
                      House of Tourism, Tallinn, Estonia
1994  Unexistent Art. The 2nd annual exhibition of the Soros Center for 
          Contemporary Arts, Estonia. Tallinn, Estonia
1994  M / F Kronborg, Tallinn, Estonia; Copenhagen, Denmark
1995  Self-Portrait. Group exhibition of Estonian artists curated by J. Saar.
          Moscow Gallery, Moscow, Russia
1995  Europa heute -- Estland. Group exhibition of 5 Estonian artists. Gallery
          “Margarethenhof”, Bonn; Gallery “Sperl”, Potsdam; Germany
1995  Mobile 1. Exhibition of Estonian cinetic art. Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
1995  Biotopia. The 3rd annual exhibition of the Soros Center for 
          Contemporary Arts, Estonia. Tallinn, Estonia
1996  Estonia as a Sign. The 4th annual exhibition of the Soros Center for 
          Contemporary Arts, Estonia. Tallinn, Tartu, Estonia
1997  Venice Biennial, Venice, Italy
1998  Senses Test Station. International exhibtion of tactile art. Maly Manege,
          Moscow, Russia
2000  Painting Biennial of Vilnius, Vilnius, Lithuania 
2000  Grosse Austellung Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf Kunsthalle, Germany
2002  Gooseskin. International festival of performance art; Rakvere, Estonia    
Markers. Curatory project by Doron Polak, Israel, in the framework of the Venice Biennial, Venice, Italy
Green Wave; Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
2004  Similar Spaces. House of Commons, London, Great Britain
2004  In Exile; 13th Print Triennial of Tallinn, Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
2004  Ich bin ein Mahler; Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn, Estonia
2004  Alle gegen Alle; Gallerie UDK Berlin, Berlin, Germany
2006  Collected Crises; KUMU, Tallinn, Estonia
2007  Eighties in Brackets; KUMU, Tallinn, Estonia
2007  Slices of Time; Adamson-Eric Museum, Tallinn; curatory exhibition by Vappu
          Thrulow
Place that Makes to Move; KUMU, Tallinn, Estonia 
2005 -1010 Festivals of Light in Tallinn, Estonia; Lyon,France; Eindhoven; Neatherlands; Helsinki, Finland         

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Catalogues

Structure / Metaphysics. Estonian contemporary art, Porin Taidemuseo, Satakunnan Kirjateollisuus Oy, Pori, 1989
15 kunstnikku Tallinnast / Eestist. Edition GKM Siwert Bergström Malmö Sweden, 1990
Forma Anthropologica. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Estonian Artists' Union, Tallinn Art Hall, 1992
Myth and Abstraction. Actual art from Estonia. European Days of Culture at Karlsruhe 1992, Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe,1992 (Germany) French-Baltic Video Art Festival. Riga, Vilnius, Tallinn, Rigas Multimediju centra apgâds, 1993 (Latvia)
Aujourd'hui les Baltes. Art Contemporain d'Estonie, Lettonie, Litaunie typoGABOR, 1993 (Paris, France)
Unexistent  Art. 2nd annual exhibition of the Soros Center for Contemporary Arts, Estonia, 1994
Self-Portrait. Estonian Artists Association and Institute for Contemporary Arts in Moscow, Tallinn, 1995                                                                                                                                                           
Europa heute -- Estland. Group exhibition of 5 Estonian artists. Friedrich- Naumann Stiftung, Galerie im Margarethenhof, 1995 (Bonn, Germany)
Biotoopia. Biology, Technology, Utopia. 3rd Annual Exhibition of the Soros Center for Contemporary Arts, Estonia, November 22 – December 17, 1995; Soros Center for Contemporary Arts, Estonia, Tallinn, 1996
Rühm T; Art Museum of Estonia, 1996
47. Biennale di Venezia; Venezia, Italia, 1997
Venezia 1997; Siim-Tanel Annus, Raoul Kurvitz, Jaan Toomik; text by Johannes Saar; 1997
Senses Test Station. International exhibtion of tactile art. Maly Manege, Moscow, Russia, 1998
Painting Biennial of Vilnius; Vilnius, Lithuania, 2000
Grosse Austellung Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany, 2000
Roheline laine; Tallinn; 2003
Ich bin ein Maler, Tallinn; 2004
Collected Crises; Estonian Art in the 1990´s; Art Museum of Estonia, 2006
Eighties in Brackets; Estonian Art in the 1980´s: Art Museum of Estonia, 2006

Magazines

Hukkila, K. Raul Kurvits : Mies ja nyrkkeilyhanska. “Taide”, 1988, no 4
Hellerma, K. Kunst on tunne. “Noorus”, 1988, no 10
Helme, S. Sajandilõpu kaunis armastus. “Vikerkaar”, 1989, no 11
Fuchs-Gamböck, M. Ende der Eiszeit. “Wiener”, Munich, 1991, no 11 
Helme, S. Grazioji meile amaziaus pabaigai. “Krantai”, Vilnius, 1991
Juske, A. Kurvitz ja Zeitgeist. “Vikerkaar”, 1992, no 5
Liivrand, H. Raoul Kurvitz. “Kunst”, 1992, no 3
Arujärv, M.-L. Kaootiline boheem. “Favoriit”, 1993, no 11
Vabar, V. Raoul Kurvitz “Sambas”. “Kunst”, 1994, no 1
Anders Harm, Post-Apocalyptic Egogenesis, Kurvitz’s Fleur du Mal, “Estonian Art “ 2/1999
Peeter Linnap; 10 Questions by Peeter Linnap to Raoul Kurvitz; Estonian Art, 2003
Ellu Maar/Raoul Kurvitz; Abjective Aunt Clara;  “Vikerkaar” 2007, no 1-2
Art and autobiography: a footnote to the exhibition of Raoul Kurvitz at the Vaal
Gallery, october 2006; James Thrulow; “kunst.ee” 2007. no 1

Newspapers

Interview  by K. Hukkila. Iltalehti, 1988.27.07.
Kivirinta M.-T. Paronin matka Armenian. Helsinkin Sanomat, 1989.26.02.                
Virtanen, L. Uskonto ja Isamaa. Satakunnan Kansa, 1989.30.05.
Helme, S. Raoul Kurvitsa performance. Eesti Ekspress, 1989.03.11.
Inimesed (interview with Raoul Kurvitz after his return from Germany). Eesti Ekspress, 1990.10.08.
Kurvitz. Interview by U. Muru. Eesti Ekspress, 1992.06.03.
Klein, K. Kunstnik-militarist Raoul Kurvitz. Pühapäevaleht, 1992.07.03.
Liivrand, H. Vesi, valgus ja aeg. Eesti Ekspress, 1992.27.03.
Treier, H. Eesti kunsti uued mängud. Raoul Kurvitz -- elav klassik? Eesti Elu / Estonian Life, 1992.13.04.
Liivrand, H. Vaimude tund “Sambas”. Eesti Ekspress, 1993.11.06.
Klein, K. Raoul Kurvitzale ei meeldi olla happeningimees. Päevaleht, 1993.17.06.
Vabar, V. Hõbepeegel “Sambas”. Sirp, 1993.18.06.
Treier, H. Raoul Kurvitza hõbeilmutused. Hommikuleht, 1993.30.06.
Kristel R. Sitz; Meedia – postapokalyptiline kunst (interview with Raoul Kurvitz);                                                                         Pyhapaevaleht, 28.05.1994
Ehlvest, J. Veekeha kui alasti häbi. Postimees, 1996.04.12.
Varblane, R. Raoul Kurvitza personaalnaitus. Sirp, 1999.08.27.
Juske, A. Kurvitz pystitab kirikut. Eesti Paevaleht, 1999. 08.28.
Sobolev, M. Kurvitz ehitas katedraali. Sõnumileht, 1999.08.28.
Juske.A  Kunsti Trooja hobune Vapaduse platsil. Eesti Paevaleht, 1999.09.02.
Vali, K. Kodututele Katedraal. Õhtuleht, 1999. 09. 04.
Treier, H. Loputu rong, nogesevali ja postapokalyptiline vaikelu. Eesti Ekspress, 1999.09. 09.
Kender, K. Raoul Kurvitza katedraal. Postimees, 1999.09.10.
Elken, J. Apokalypsis nyyd! Eesti Ekspress, 1999.09.16.
Kivimaa, K. Meie aja malupildid. Sirp, 1999.09.17.
Kelomees, R. Krooniline kangelane. Sirp, 1999.09.17.
Saar, J. Postapokalyptiline prohvet. Postimees, 1999.09.18.
Koppel, A. Raoul Kurvitz tyyrib Eesti kunsti maailma. (interview with Raoul Kurvitz) Postimees, 1999.12.29. 
Juske, A. Kurvitza lahkumisetendus. Eesti Paevaleht, 2000.09.27.
Aaremäe, A. Elu nagu filmis. Eesti Ekspress, 2000.10.12.
Raud, N. Interview with Raoul Kurvitz in NYC. Postimees, 2001.06.30.
Aaremäe, A. Mees, raamatud ja taimed kesklinnas vabatahtlikul asumisel; interview
with Raoul Kurvitz; KesKus, 1905; 14/05
Aaremäe, A. Tädi Klaara ja teised Raoul Kurvitza mõnuained; Postimees, 2006.10.10.
Kolk, T. Taaskohtumine Raoul Kurvitzaga; Äripäev, 2006.13.10.
Tädi Klaara ja Teised. Kunstnik Raoul Kurvitza lühike selgitus. Eesti Päevaleht, 2006.17.10.
Aaremäe, A. Alfaisase suured sambasõjad lõuendil. Postimees, 2008.30.04.
Thrulow, V. Õhus on ohtu. Sirp, 2008.09.05.

FILMOGRAPHY

Estonian Contemporary Art. Raoul Kurvitz. Director J. Nõgisto. Estonian Television, 1990
Gate of Light. Light installation by Raoul Kurvitz. Estonian Television, 1993

AWARDS

- Young Artist’s Award of Estonia, 1988
-  Estonian Trade Unions Award, 1989
- Jury’s Award at French-Baltic Video-festival, 1995
- Award of Estonian Cultural Endowment, 1996
- Grand Prix of Estonian Cultural Endowment, 1999

FILM- AND TV-PRODUCTION BY RAOUL KURVIZ

TV- serial “Lifestyles”; 8 programs; screenplay & directing; 1994-1997
full-length  movie “Dear Mr Q” by Rao Heidmets, art directing; 1996
animation movies for Japanese advertising market by Rao Heidmets; art directing;
1998 & 2003; 

PUBLICATIONS BY RAOUL KURVITZ (A Selection)

Uusvorm arhitektuuris/ New Form in Architecture; “Ehituskunst”, 1985
Tundmatu Joseph Beuys/Unknown Joseph Beuys; “Kunst”, 1986
Ilmar Vene. Vikerkaar, 1987
Vilen Künnapu, Vikerkaar, 1989
Ma Kardan Leedi E.K´d / I am afraid of Lady E.K. Text for the catalogue of artist Eve
Kask; tallinn, 1990.
Neli minutit Ene-Liis Semperit/Four Minutes of Ene-Liis Semper; Vikerkaar, 1995
Leedi E.K. Saladus/The Secret of Lady E.K. Text about artist Eve Kask; Eesti
Kunstnikud 2; Tallinn, 1999
Olev ja tema tabamatu süda/The Existent and its Uncatchable Heart; survey of
Estonian art-life in 1997; Eesti Ekspress 2008 No 1/01
Jaan Toomik. After the Wall;; text for the catalogue; Berlin, 2000
Performance Art in Estonia. SSKE, Tallinn, 2005
Peatades Olevikku / Stopping the Presence. Text about artist Anders Moseholm; Eesti
Ekspress, 2005
Attitude; ülevaade hoiakulisest popkultuurist, vol. 1 /An Overview of Popular Culture  with Attitude, vol 1; a book, 230 pages; Kirjastus Valgus, Tallinn, 2008