Kristi Kongi: Chromatic Drift

Chromatic Drift is a solo exhibition by Estonian painter Kristi Kongi (b. 1985), opening at the Kumu Art Museum on May 22, 2026. The exhibition evokes a holistic sensory and spatial experience centred on colour, a hallmark of Kristi Kongi’s oeuvre. Extending beyond the canvas, colours and motifs have spilled onto the floor, walls, windows and the outdoor space.

Chromatic Drift is Kristi Kongi’s most ambitious solo exhibition to date, presenting new works created specifically for this display. According to the artist, the first part of the title, “chromatic,” refers to the intensity and richness of colour, while “drift” stems from a poetic mode of being within unmapped territory.

The curator Ann Mirjam Vaikla on the exhibition: “The paintings radiate a certain darkness, in which pure spectral colours have been replaced by earthbound tones, such as purple, brown and burgundy. These landscapes, seemingly ablaze, speak to the aesthetics of the Anthropocene, where collective perceptions of both ecological unease and an uncertain sociopolitical situation have become, through the artist’s perceptual world, a reflection of the contemporary world”.

Kristi Kongi’s artistic practice is characterised by processuality and affectivity, which manifest in a state of constant movement and in the shifting or dissolution of boundaries. The artist’s journey began in 2010, when she employed a realistic style to convey personal memories while also demonstrating sensitivity in site-specific work. Over time, Kongi’s artistic practice has moved toward increasingly abstract approaches, with a central focus on working with colour, light and space, as well as the interplay between them. Kongi’s work encompasses techniques ranging from traditional oil paintings and watercolours to painted spaces and installations, driven by a deep engagement with and dedication to monumental painting. Over the past decade, her work has been influenced by numerous visits to Mexico. 

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue in which Kristi Kongi’s works and artistic practice are interpreted by Sara Garzón, a Colombian-born curator based in the U.S., the Estonian art historian and critic Sirje Helme, and the exhibition curator Ann Mirjam Vaikla. The publication contains extensive visual materials on the works created for the exhibition and on the creative process, which spanned several years, both in the artist’s studio in Tallinn and during her art residency at Cerámica Suro in Guadalajara, Mexico. 

From May 25 to September 30, the exhibiton is also open on Mondays 10am–6pm.

Chromatic Drift will remain open until October 11, 2026.

Curator: Ann Mirjam Vaikla
Exhibition design: Mari Hunt and Grete Daut (MARIHUNT architects)
Graphic designer: Brit Pavelson
Technical manager: Tõnis Medri
Technical support: Kaarel Eelma
Coordinator: Anastassia Langinen

The ceramic tile series Empty Landscapes was produced for the exhibition with the support of Cerámica Suro.