Kris Lemsalu: Biker, Bride, Builder, Businesswoman and Baby

Tramway presents new work by renowned Estonian artist Kris Lemsalu just before she represents Estonia at the Venice Biennale 2019. 

Lemsalu’s pieces evoke the bestial side of human beings and civilizations, and are often underscored by feminist themes. Her sculptural installations are assembled from a palette of seemingly visceral materials including ceramics, animal parts and pelts, fur, wool, leather, fabric and shells, alongside bought and found objects. Often performing within her works by inhabiting sculptures as costumes, she plays with the line between human, creature and object. Through her specific style of humorous and absurd storytelling, Lemsalu poses earnest questions about the hierarchies we set up between life and death, beauty and revulsion, merit and mediocrity.

Kris Lemsalu was born in 1985 in Tallinn, Estonia, and lives and works between Berlin and Tallin. She creates mixed-media sculptures, installations and performances with unexpected materials.  Lemsalu has shown as part of Performa 17 (2017), DRAF performance night (2017), Bunshitu Gallery, Tokyo (2015), Ferdinand Bauman Gallery, Prague (2015) and is represented by Koppe Astner, Glasgow and Temnikova & Kasela, Tallinn. Lemsalu will represent Estonia at the Venice Biennale 2019.

This exhibition is a co-production between Tramway, Glasgow and CCA Goldsmiths, London and is supported by The Estonian Embassy. 

Installation photo by Keith Hunter, Tramway, 2019