Maarja Mäemets (born 4 Dec 1991 in Estonia) is a glass artist, photographer, and yogini. Her work is an exploration of the ever-changing landscapes of emotions, thoughts, and circumstances. Mäemets believes in the relentless flow of life, where stagnation is but a fleeting illusion. Her artistic expression is steeped in narratives and symbols that weave intricate stories. This affinity for multilayered storytelling naturally drives her to work across mediums. Mäemets has a BA (2015) and MA degree (2018) in glass art from the Estonian Academy of Arts. In 2017 she studied for a semester at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna in Heimo Zobernig’s class, where her more multidisciplinary approach as an artist started to unfold. She creates mostly site-specific installations and seeks unusual exhibiting environments – such as the depths underwater. The beauty of words and writing plays a vital role in the concepts and spaces created along her journey. Maarja Mäemets has taken part of international exhibitions in Ukraine, Austria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Italy and China. She has also exhibited her work at exhibitions in Estonia both as a glass artist and a photographer. In 2017 she received first place at the Bild-Werk Frauenau Student Prize 2017 competition (Frauenau, Germany) with her work Underwater Love, where a glass object was bedded and photographed underwater. With her diploma work titled Sadness Factory, she was one of the finalists for the Stanislav Libensky Award 2018 (Prague, Czech Republic). Mäemets is a member of the Estonian Glass Artists’ Union and the Estonian Artists’ Association. Since 2018 she works as a freelance artist, photographer, and teacher. |
CV MAARJA MÄEMETS
maarja.maemets@gmail.com
instagram.com/liivaloss
EDUCATION
2023– The Estonian Academy of Arts, Faculty of Design, Craft Studies MA
2017-2019 The Olustvere Service and Rural Economy School, assistant glassblower studies
2015-2018 The Estonian Academy of Arts, Faculty of Design, Department of Glass Art, MA in Glass Art
2016-2017 Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Faculty of Contextual Sculpture, exchange studies in Prof. Heimo Zobernig’s class
2012-2015 The Estonian Academy of Arts, Faculty of Design, Department of Glass Art, BA in Glass Art
SCHOLARSHIPS / GRANTS
2023 Nordic Culture Point Mobility Programme grant
2020 Nordic Culture Point Mobility Programme grant
2017 Ene Silla’s Scholarship for glass art MA studies, Estonian Students Fund in USA
2017 Maks Roosma’s creative scholarship for an outstanding glass art student, Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonia
2016 Private entrepreneur ‘s Ott Kikkas‘ scholarship for an outstanding glass art student, Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonia
2014 Ene Silla’s Scholarship for glass art BA studies, Estonian Students Fund in USA
COMPETITIONS
2018 Stanislav Libensky Award 2018 finalist, Prague, Czech Republic
2017 First prize at the Bild-Werk Frauenau Student Prize 2017 competition, Frauenau, Germany
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE / PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
2022 Mazzano Romano Residency in Mazzano Romano, Italy , Väino Tanner foundation
2021 Copper Leg Art Residency at Vaskjala, Estonia
2018 GlassEST residency at The Glass Factory Boda, Sweden
2018 Professional practice at the GlassPoint studio in Riga, Latvia
PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE
Since 2022 Guest lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Arts, Glass Art Department
2021-2022 Designer, and illustrator for debut poetry books in collaboration with Estonian youth literature magazine Värske Rõhk
Since 2019 Digital portfolio, photo manipulation, and vector graphics art teacher at Sally Stuudio Art School, Tallinn, Estonia
Since 2018 Freelance artist, designer, studio owner at ARS Project Space, Tallinn, Estonia
2017–2022 Arts and crafts teacher at Huvikool Loomekoda, Tallinn, Estonia
CURATED EXHIBITIONS
2021 Estonian Glass Artist’s Union’s annual exhibition “Colour – red 2.0“ at University of Tartu Narva College in Narva, Estonia
2020 Estonian Glass Artist’s Union’s annual exhibition “Colour – RED“ at ARS Project Space in Tallinn, Estonia
INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOPS / COLLABORATIONS
2020 4th international “GlassJazz“ Symposium at Glasremis glass art studio in Panevežys, Lithuania
2019 Torsten Rötzsch's and Eili Soon's workshop on handblown glass design at Olustvere's glassblowing studio, Estonia
2017 James Labold’s and John Moran’s experimental hot glass workshop: “Interdisciplinary Special: Hot Glass:
Form and Freeform: From Concept to Completion”, Bild-Werk Frauenau, Germany
2017 Collaborative project titled “New Archaeology” with artist Kazushi Nakada, Tallinn, Estonia
2016 Estonian poetry in the old SUVA Sock Factory, collaborative work with artist Kazushi Nakada, Estonia
2016 10th International Blown Glass Symposium in Lviv, Ukraine
2016 International art project “Things of water” held by Vilnius Art Academy, Nida, Lithuania
PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS
2023 “liivaloss / sand castle” – at ARS Project Space, Tallinn, Estonia
2022 “sabotöör / saboteur” at Jakobi gallery, Tartu, Estonia
2017 “aega on küll / there’s time” at Positiiv gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS (NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL)
2023 Estonian Glass Artists‘ Union’s annual exhibition vol2 at Kondase Keskus, Viljandi, Estonia
2023 “The Venice Glass Week HUB under35¨ at Palazzo Loredan, Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Venice, Italy
2023 “GENIUS LOC IV: Life. 1628. 1928. 2023” Estonian Glass Artists‘ Union’s annual exhibition at Reigi Pastorate, Hiiumaa, Estonia
2023 “salvesta kui / save as” with glass artist Andra Jõgis at Pärnu City Gallery, Pärnu, Estonia
2021 “pillows–blankets” with glass artist Andra Jõgis at Hiiumaa Art Gallery, Kärdla, Estonia
2021 “Colours of Corals” with painter, illustrator Liisa Kruusmägi at HOP Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2021 “Current Realities” at Levant Art Gallery, Shanghai, China
2021 “The Voice of Glass Collaborative“ at The Latvian National Museum of Art, Rīgas Birža, Riga, Latvia
2020 “Colour – RED II” Estonian Glass Artists‘ Union’s annual exhibition at City Gallery of Rakvere, Estonia
2020 “Colour – RED” Estonian Glass Artists' Union's annual exhibition at ARS Project Space, Tallinn, Estonia
2020 “u n d e r t h e w a t e r o n t h e m o o n I I” at Okapy Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2020 “u n d e r t h e w a t e r o n t h e m o o n” in the waters of Rummu quarry, Rummu, Harjumaa, Estonia
2019 “Resonants” Estonian Glass Artists’ Union's annual exhibition at Vana-Võromaa Museum in Võru, Estonia
2019 “Give a new life” 7th Recycling Art Exhibition at The Museum of New Art, Pärnu, Estonia
2019 “Lennujaam” at Olustvere Manor’s glassblowing studio, Viljandi, Estonia
2018 “ARS Concept – Estonian Art” at T1 Mall of Tallinn, Estonia
2018 “Stanislav Libensky Award 2018” at DOX - Centre for Contemporary Art, Prague, Czech Republic
2018 “Estonian glass design @ Estonian Design Festival“ at Okapy Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2018 “Glass @ The Forge” at Craft Central, London, United Kingdom
2018 “I SPY with my little eye vol 2” at EKA Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2017 “I SPY with my little eye” – one night experimental exhibition show at Polymer A-korpus, Tallinn
2017 “Kooskõla. Ongoing / Going on” at Haus Gallery, Tallinn
2017 “Rundgang 2017” Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Austria
2016 “10th International Blown Glass Symposium” Lviv, Ukraine
2016 “HÜPE/HYPE - a jump into Estonian’s fresh accessory design” in Tali design shop, Tallinn, Estonia
2016 “Ongoing / going on - Estonian young glass art” Jelagin’s Glass Museum, St Petersburg, Russia
2016 “Abandoned House Project - transformation, poetry of space” Suva Sock Factory, Tallinn, Estonia
2015 “Interpretation” Mentzentorffs’ House, Riga, Latvia
2015 “Interpretatsioon” Olustvere Manor’s glassblowing studio, Viljandi, Estonia
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2022 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 49/2022, pages 54-59
2021 Värske Rõhk nr 71/2021, poetry, pages 26-31
2019 Värske Rõhk nr 60/2019, poetry, pages 52-57
2019 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 37/2019, pages 60-67
2018 New Glass Review 39/2018, published by Corning Museum of Glass, page 59
2018 Värske Rõhk nr 54/2018, poetry, pages 1-5
2018 MÜÜRILEHT 73/2018, poetry, page 3
2018 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 32/2017, pages 34-39
2017 GLASSHOUSE 3/2017, international magazine for studioglass, page 30
2017 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 30/2017, pages 50-51
2017 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 28/2017, pages 26-29
2015 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 22/2015, pages 36-41
2015 Estonian Architecture magazine MAJA, nr 1/2015, pages 76-77
UNIONS
Since 2018 Estonian Glass Artists’ Union
Since 2019 The Estonian Artists' Association
maarja.maemets@gmail.com
instagram.com/liivaloss
EDUCATION
2023– The Estonian Academy of Arts, Faculty of Design, Craft Studies MA
2017-2019 The Olustvere Service and Rural Economy School, assistant glassblower studies
2015-2018 The Estonian Academy of Arts, Faculty of Design, Department of Glass Art, MA in Glass Art
2016-2017 Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Faculty of Contextual Sculpture, exchange studies in Prof. Heimo Zobernig’s class
2012-2015 The Estonian Academy of Arts, Faculty of Design, Department of Glass Art, BA in Glass Art
SCHOLARSHIPS / GRANTS
2023 Nordic Culture Point Mobility Programme grant
2020 Nordic Culture Point Mobility Programme grant
2017 Ene Silla’s Scholarship for glass art MA studies, Estonian Students Fund in USA
2017 Maks Roosma’s creative scholarship for an outstanding glass art student, Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonia
2016 Private entrepreneur ‘s Ott Kikkas‘ scholarship for an outstanding glass art student, Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonia
2014 Ene Silla’s Scholarship for glass art BA studies, Estonian Students Fund in USA
COMPETITIONS
2018 Stanislav Libensky Award 2018 finalist, Prague, Czech Republic
2017 First prize at the Bild-Werk Frauenau Student Prize 2017 competition, Frauenau, Germany
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE / PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
2022 Mazzano Romano Residency in Mazzano Romano, Italy , Väino Tanner foundation
2021 Copper Leg Art Residency at Vaskjala, Estonia
2018 GlassEST residency at The Glass Factory Boda, Sweden
2018 Professional practice at the GlassPoint studio in Riga, Latvia
PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE
Since 2022 Guest lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Arts, Glass Art Department
2021-2022 Designer, and illustrator for debut poetry books in collaboration with Estonian youth literature magazine Värske Rõhk
Since 2019 Digital portfolio, photo manipulation, and vector graphics art teacher at Sally Stuudio Art School, Tallinn, Estonia
Since 2018 Freelance artist, designer, studio owner at ARS Project Space, Tallinn, Estonia
2017–2022 Arts and crafts teacher at Huvikool Loomekoda, Tallinn, Estonia
CURATED EXHIBITIONS
2021 Estonian Glass Artist’s Union’s annual exhibition “Colour – red 2.0“ at University of Tartu Narva College in Narva, Estonia
2020 Estonian Glass Artist’s Union’s annual exhibition “Colour – RED“ at ARS Project Space in Tallinn, Estonia
INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOPS / COLLABORATIONS
2020 4th international “GlassJazz“ Symposium at Glasremis glass art studio in Panevežys, Lithuania
2019 Torsten Rötzsch's and Eili Soon's workshop on handblown glass design at Olustvere's glassblowing studio, Estonia
2017 James Labold’s and John Moran’s experimental hot glass workshop: “Interdisciplinary Special: Hot Glass:
Form and Freeform: From Concept to Completion”, Bild-Werk Frauenau, Germany
2017 Collaborative project titled “New Archaeology” with artist Kazushi Nakada, Tallinn, Estonia
2016 Estonian poetry in the old SUVA Sock Factory, collaborative work with artist Kazushi Nakada, Estonia
2016 10th International Blown Glass Symposium in Lviv, Ukraine
2016 International art project “Things of water” held by Vilnius Art Academy, Nida, Lithuania
PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS
2023 “liivaloss / sand castle” – at ARS Project Space, Tallinn, Estonia
2022 “sabotöör / saboteur” at Jakobi gallery, Tartu, Estonia
2017 “aega on küll / there’s time” at Positiiv gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS (NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL)
2023 Estonian Glass Artists‘ Union’s annual exhibition vol2 at Kondase Keskus, Viljandi, Estonia
2023 “The Venice Glass Week HUB under35¨ at Palazzo Loredan, Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Venice, Italy
2023 “GENIUS LOC IV: Life. 1628. 1928. 2023” Estonian Glass Artists‘ Union’s annual exhibition at Reigi Pastorate, Hiiumaa, Estonia
2023 “salvesta kui / save as” with glass artist Andra Jõgis at Pärnu City Gallery, Pärnu, Estonia
2021 “pillows–blankets” with glass artist Andra Jõgis at Hiiumaa Art Gallery, Kärdla, Estonia
2021 “Colours of Corals” with painter, illustrator Liisa Kruusmägi at HOP Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2021 “Current Realities” at Levant Art Gallery, Shanghai, China
2021 “The Voice of Glass Collaborative“ at The Latvian National Museum of Art, Rīgas Birža, Riga, Latvia
2020 “Colour – RED II” Estonian Glass Artists‘ Union’s annual exhibition at City Gallery of Rakvere, Estonia
2020 “Colour – RED” Estonian Glass Artists' Union's annual exhibition at ARS Project Space, Tallinn, Estonia
2020 “u n d e r t h e w a t e r o n t h e m o o n I I” at Okapy Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2020 “u n d e r t h e w a t e r o n t h e m o o n” in the waters of Rummu quarry, Rummu, Harjumaa, Estonia
2019 “Resonants” Estonian Glass Artists’ Union's annual exhibition at Vana-Võromaa Museum in Võru, Estonia
2019 “Give a new life” 7th Recycling Art Exhibition at The Museum of New Art, Pärnu, Estonia
2019 “Lennujaam” at Olustvere Manor’s glassblowing studio, Viljandi, Estonia
2018 “ARS Concept – Estonian Art” at T1 Mall of Tallinn, Estonia
2018 “Stanislav Libensky Award 2018” at DOX - Centre for Contemporary Art, Prague, Czech Republic
2018 “Estonian glass design @ Estonian Design Festival“ at Okapy Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2018 “Glass @ The Forge” at Craft Central, London, United Kingdom
2018 “I SPY with my little eye vol 2” at EKA Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2017 “I SPY with my little eye” – one night experimental exhibition show at Polymer A-korpus, Tallinn
2017 “Kooskõla. Ongoing / Going on” at Haus Gallery, Tallinn
2017 “Rundgang 2017” Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Austria
2016 “10th International Blown Glass Symposium” Lviv, Ukraine
2016 “HÜPE/HYPE - a jump into Estonian’s fresh accessory design” in Tali design shop, Tallinn, Estonia
2016 “Ongoing / going on - Estonian young glass art” Jelagin’s Glass Museum, St Petersburg, Russia
2016 “Abandoned House Project - transformation, poetry of space” Suva Sock Factory, Tallinn, Estonia
2015 “Interpretation” Mentzentorffs’ House, Riga, Latvia
2015 “Interpretatsioon” Olustvere Manor’s glassblowing studio, Viljandi, Estonia
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2022 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 49/2022, pages 54-59
2021 Värske Rõhk nr 71/2021, poetry, pages 26-31
2019 Värske Rõhk nr 60/2019, poetry, pages 52-57
2019 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 37/2019, pages 60-67
2018 New Glass Review 39/2018, published by Corning Museum of Glass, page 59
2018 Värske Rõhk nr 54/2018, poetry, pages 1-5
2018 MÜÜRILEHT 73/2018, poetry, page 3
2018 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 32/2017, pages 34-39
2017 GLASSHOUSE 3/2017, international magazine for studioglass, page 30
2017 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 30/2017, pages 50-51
2017 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 28/2017, pages 26-29
2015 Estonian Photo Magazine POSITIIV, nr 22/2015, pages 36-41
2015 Estonian Architecture magazine MAJA, nr 1/2015, pages 76-77
UNIONS
Since 2018 Estonian Glass Artists’ Union
Since 2019 The Estonian Artists' Association