Kursi School XXXVIII Anniversary Exhibition

Kursi School XXXVIII Anniversary Exhibition

01.04.-03.05.2026.

The Kursi School (Kursi koolkond) was founded on April 28, 1988, by Peeter Allik, Albert Gulk, Ilmar Kruusamäe, and Priit Pangsepp. Today, Marko Mäetamm, Reiu Tüür, Imat Suumann, Külli Suitso, and Priit Pajos have also joined this group, which is the oldest active art collective in Estonia. The name of the group is derived from the ancient Kursi parish in Tartu County, but also refers to the word "kursi" (course), symbolizing the pointing of a new direction on the Estonian art scene.

To date, the Kursi School has held a total of 98 exhibitions. The 99th exhibition, titled "XXXVIII Birthday Exhibition," has been open at the Jõhvi Concert Hall since April 1st. There are few towns in Estonia where the artists of the Kursi School have not yet introduced their work. Their most distant exhibitions have taken place in South Korea (Seoul 1996), the USA (New York 2010), Italy (Venice 2007), Norway (Fredrikstad 1994), Finland (Tampere 1994, Helsinki 1996), Latvia (Riga 2012–2014), and Lithuania (Kaunas 2024).

The birthday exhibition features works by seven artists of the school: paintings and drawings by Albert Gulk (b. 1969); three oil paintings by Peeter Allik (1966–2019); eight colorful, grotesque, and playful oil paintings by Priit Pangsepp (b. 1966); nature and cityscapes by Imat Suumann (b. 1964); art history quotations by Reiu Tüür (b. 1974); three earlier oil paintings from private collections by Priit Pajos (b. 1971); and five portraits of cultural figures by Ilmar Kruusamäe (b. 1957) (featuring Tõnis Mägi, Ragne Pekarev, Ave Alavainu, Riho Sibul, and Maarja Johanna Mägi).

The concert hall's display cases feature Kursi School publications, including art albums, postcards, flyers, and more. The group's magazine, KURSI KUNST, was published between 1992 and 2000, with a total of 31 issues. The XXXVIII birthday exhibition was curated and designed by Ilmar Kruusamäe.