Kris Lemsalu

Kris Lemsalu (b. 1985) is an Estonian contemporary artist based in New York and Tallinn. She studied at the Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallinn; Danmarks Designskole, Copenhagen; and Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna.

Having studied ceramics, Lemsalu often experiments with traditional techniques to create multilayered works. Her staged installations combine delicate porcelain sculptures cast as animal and human body parts or objects of clothing with found natural materials like fur, leather or wool. These can act as self-sufficient narratives, or alternatively as a stage for Lemsalu’s performances, the sculptures sometimes becoming a part of her costumes and props. For her recent works, the artist collaborated with musicians adding a further element to her performances (“Going, going”, with Kyp Malone, curated by Esa Nickle and Maaike Gouwenberg, Performa 17 Biennial, New York; and a performance with Glasser, DRAF performance night, KOKO, London, both 2017).

Lemsalu’s recent exhibitions include “On the Absurd Drama That is Also Life”, Moderna Museet (2024), Stockholm, Sweden, “Holly Hell Ooo”, Magazin 4, Bregenz, Austria (2024); “One foot in gravy”, Margot Samel, New York (2024); “Chará”, Belvedere 21, Museum of Contemporary Art, Vienna, Austria (2024); “Donatella”, Tartu Art Museum, Tartu, Estonia (2024); “Rinky Dink Babe”, Kendall Koppe, Glasgow, UK (2022); “Angels Gone Pissing”, Temnikova & Kasela Gallery, Tallinn (2022), Vienna; “Peace @ 295 Church Street”, Margot Samel Gallery, New York (2022); “Love Stories”, Meyer Kainer, Vienna (2022); “A Snail’s Tale” with Kyp Malone, High Line Art, New York (2021);  “It’s a Family Affair” with Kyp Malone, Hunt Kastner, Prague (2021); “Going Going” with Kyp Malone, Den Frie, Copenhagen (2020); “Love Song Sing-Along”, with Kyp Malone, KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin (2020); Estonian Pavilion, 58th Venice Biennial (2019), and others.