Maret Sarapu

Maret Sarapu (b 1978) is a glass artist whose practice is deeply rooted in the observation of everyday life, investigating both the material potential of glass and the subtle forms of beauty and meaning it can manifest. Her art explores pattern, repetition, and the way material and human gesture intersect, creating forms that carry both visual and emotional resonance.

Sarapu has also turned to techniques such as automatic writing and attentive attunement to the flow of consciousness, integrating them into her artistic process.

Sarapu holds a BA (2002) and MA (2005) in Glass Art from the Estonian Academy of Arts. She has achieved recognition in public art competitions, and her works are included in numerous collections. She has been actively involved in organizing the Tallinn Applied Art Triennial. In the most recent edition (2024–2025), she served as the curator of the main exhibition.

“I often find joy and strength in the rhythms, beauty, and persistence of nature. I am interested in patterns and repetitions, their transformations and interruptions. Patterns provide a sense of security, yet I am also drawn to the moment when that sense of security shifts—when a pattern breaks, a color changes, or a surface comes to an end.

Through art, I often reflect on the right to different perspectives and the possibility of their coexistence. My work is not political, yet it contains a stubborn insistence on making space for beauty and hands-on thinking.

I often explore how light and transparency create optical illusions without digital means—solely through the interaction of material and light. Each new work is often also a new experience or a technical experiment for me. In this way, I keep my working process alive and evolving.”

Resume

Born January 31st, 1978 in Pärnu, Estonia

Education

2021–2022 Prologue School, programme of non-formal contemporary art education
2014–2016 Olustvere School of Service and Rural Economics, glass blowing
2003–2005 Estonian Academy of Arts (EAA), glass art speciality, MA (cum laude)
2001 University of Art and Design Helsinki
1997–2002 Estonian Academy of Arts, glass art speciality, BA

Selected Exhibitions

Solo (duo, trio) exhibitions:

2023 FREE AND HELD, Draakon Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia (curators B. Kaschan and K. Maasik)
2020 LAVA, Stella Soomlais Studio Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2019 ATTACHED (with T. Sarapu), Pärnu City Gallery Artists House, Pärnu, Estonia
2019 CLOSET OISTRICH, Hop Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2017 AT YOUR OWN PACE, Cafe Ginger, Tallinn (series of exhibitions "Glass Art in Cafe", part of satellite program of Tallinn Applied Art Triennial)
2013 WATERS, A-Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia (with M. Niinemägi)
2012 VARIABLE INTERSECTIONS, Hop Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2011 MEETINGS IN THE GARDEN (with T. Sarapu, K. Sein and R. Paju), Instituto Camoes, Lisboa, Portugal
2010 TALLINN: CORES, IMAGENS, SENTIMENTOS (with T. Sarapu and K. Sein), Casa d'Achada, Lisboa, Portugal
2009 WHITE SHADOW, Hop Gallery, Tallinn; Võru City Gallery, Võru, Estonia
2005 TO DARE OR NOT TO DARE, Artdepoo Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2004 CLOCKWISE, Slagelse, Denmark (together with T.Sarapu and E.Piir)
2003 SENSE OF TIME, Museum of Tartu University History, Tartu, Estonia (together with T.Sarapu and K.Sein)
2001 PORTRAITS, EAA Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia (together with H.Kreem and J.Nõmm)
1999 FALLING & FLYING, Slagelse, Denmark (together with T.Sarapu)

Group exhibitions:

2025 Ivo Lill Foundation Glass Sculpture Competition Exhibition, Barrel Gallery, Viinistu Art Museum, Estonia
2025 NEGOTIATIONS, Pärnu Museum of New Art, Pärnu, Estonia
2025 LAYERS: Baltic Contemporary Glass Art, Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Riga, Latvia
2024 EXPLORERS, Okapi Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2024 (Un)Balanced: Exhibition About Noticing and Peace of Mind, Adamson-Eric Museum, Tallinn, Estonia
2024 IMAGINE, ARS Art Factory Project Space, Tallinn, Estonia
2024 LEGENDARY TIMES, Kondas Centre, Viljandi, Estonia
2023 GENIUS LOCI IV. ELU. 1628. 1928. 2023, Reigi parsonage, Hiiumaa, Estonia
2023 SPRING EXHIBITION, Tallinn Art Hall’s Lasnamäe Pavilion, Tallinn, Estonia
2022 COLOR – RED 2.0, Kohtla-Järve Oil Shale Museum’s White Hall, Kohtla-Järve, Estonia
2020 THE NEW REALITY. ESTONIA / CAN YOU FEEL IT?, Virtual Design Destination by Adorno, London Design Festival, virtualdesigndestination.com
2020 COLOR – RED, ARS Project Space, Tallinn
2020 SLOW LIGHT The Rapla County Centre for Contemporary Art, Rapla, Estonia
2020 COLOR – RED ARS Project room, Tallinn, Estonia
2020 CLEAR SPACE. VITRUM FESTIVAL 2020 Kaunas District Museum, Kaunas, Lithuania
2019 RESONANCE Vana-Võromaa Kultuurikoda, Võru, Estonia
2018 FIRE GLASS, Nelja Nurga Galerii, Kärdla, Hiiumaa, Estonia
2017 UMWELT/OMAILM, Adamson-Eric Museum, Tallinn, Estonia
2016 CIVILIZATION 2: THE TROUSERS OF TIME, Tallinn Seaplane Harbour aquarium, Tallinn, Estonia
2016 CONCORD IV, Haus Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2014 BORN/MADE, Tartu Art House, Tartu, Estonia; Vabaduse Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2014 2D → , Arka Gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania; V. Grybas Museum, Jurbarkas, Lithuania; Museum of New Art, Pärnu, Estonia; Rietumu Bank gallery, Riga, Latvia
2014 VITRUM BALTICUM VI, Kaunas, Lithuania (cat.)
2013 MARE BALTICUM – HANSE, KUNST UND MEER, Zwiesel, Germany
2013 INSPIRED BY NATURE, Hempel Glass Museum, Denmark
2013 FROM SAND TO SAND, Reigi, Estonia
2013 MILKYWAY, Rakvere, Estonia
2012 CONTEMPORARY ESTONIAN GLASS ART, Jelagin Island's Glass Museum, St.
Petersburg, Russia
2012 GLASS CONTEXT 2012, Bornholm, Denmark (cat.)
2012, 2011 VITRUM BALTICUM V, Kaunas; Klaipeda, Lithuania (cat.)
2012 EESTI VAAGEN, Gallery Pink, Tallinn, Estonia
2011 PAIR, Kullo Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2011 MEETINGS IN THE GARDEN (with T. Sarapu, K. Sein and R. Paju), Instituto Camoes, Lisboa, Portugal
2011 ESTONIAN GLASS, Finnish Glass Museum, Riihimäki, Finland
2010–2011 ESTONIAN GLASS, Glashütte Gernheim, Petershagen, Germany
2010 NIGHT LIGHT, Kalamaja Park, Tallinn, Estonia
2009 NATIONAL HERITAGE, Pärnu City Gallery, Pärnu, Estonia
2008 VITRUM BALTICUM IV, Kaunas, Lithuania (cat.)
2008 GLASS CONTEXT 2008, Bornholm, Denmark (cat.)
2008 OPEN, Paide Townhall, Paide, Estonia
2008 GLASBRÜCKE IN BERLIN, Berlin, Germany
2007 TALENTE 2007, München, Germany (cat.)
2007 ROUND, Albu Manor House, Järva County, Estonia
2007 CGCA Fellowship Recipient exhibition, Gallery of Fine Craft at WheatonArts, Millville, New Jersey, USA
2006 COBURG GLASS PRIZE 2006, Veste Coburg, Germany (cat.)
2006, 2005, 2004 White Glass Days, Evald Okas Museum, Haapsalu and A-Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2003 ICE, ICE!, City Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2002 AUCTION, Applied Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia
2001 THROUGH THE GLASS, Town Hall Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
1999 Exhibition of International Glass Triennial GLOBAL ART GLASS workshop, Orrefors, Sweden

Professional career

since 2010 founder of Glassclub
since 2005 freelance glass artist
2018, 2011, 2003–2004 Estonian Academy of Arts, teacher in glass art department
1999–2003 glass studio Ideeklaas, artist

Conferences, residencies and workshops

2018 GlazenHuis, Lommel, Belgium (residency)
2017 COLD-HOT. Estonian Glass art 80, Tallinn, Estonia
2017 The 7th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial 2017 "Ajavahe. Time Difference", Tallinn, Estonia
2013 National Glass Centre at the University of Sunderland (residency)
2012 International Glass Conference “European Glass Context 2012”, Bornholm, Denmark
2009 Glass Art Society Conference, Corning, New York, USA (demonstration "TV Dinner" with Burnt Asphalt Family)
2008 International Glass Conference “European Glass Context 2008”, Bornholm, Denmark
2007 Creative Glass Centre of America, New Jersey, USA (residency)
2007 Glass Art Society Conference, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
2002 Ethnographic expedition to Mordovia, Russia
1999 International Glass Triennial GLOBAL ART GLASS workshop, Orrefors, Sweden

Acknowledgments

2026–2028 Artist laureate salary
2018 Appreciated Glass Artist 2016-2017 – biannual prize of Estonian Glass Artists' Union
2012, 2011, 2010 New Glass Review – selected works
2007 Jutta Cuny-Franz Memorial Award – selected works
2007 Creative Glass Centre of America – fellowship recipient
2005 Coburg Glass Prize 2006 – selected works

Cooperation

2024 curator of the main exhibition of the 9th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial “Fine Lines Of Constructivness”
since 2018 The 8th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial, member of organizational team
2017 The 7th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial 2017 "Ajavahe. Time Difference", member of organizational team

Collections

Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design
Contemporary Glass Art Museum, Eskisehir, Turkey
Museum of American Glass, USA
Glasmuseum Lette, Coesfeld, Germany
Lommel Municipal Glass Art Collection, Lommel, Belgium
Private collections in Estonia, Denmark, France and USA

Public Commissions

2024 Carbon and Kevlar, customer: Ministry of Interior
2023 Voog/Flow, customer: Ministery of Education and Research, Mustamäe Riigigümnaasium
2021 Empaatia/Empathy, customer: Tartu University Hospital (Tartu Ülikooli Kliinikum)
2020 Terve tee, customer: Kohtla-Järve Health Center
2019 Esimene keel/First Language, customer: Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
2017-2018 Jäämägi/Iceberg, customer: Ministry of Interior, eu-LISA
2017 Trepp/The Stairs, customer: Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR)
2015 Õiekuma/Flowerglow, customer: Kernu Local Goverment

Unions

Since 2017 member of Estonian Artists' Association
Since 2016 Member of Tallinn Applied Art Triennial Society
Since 2003 member of Estonian Glass Artists` Union
Since 2002 member of Ydi-group (club of finno–ugric expedition members)

Contact

maret.sarapu@gmail.com
+372 5547873

Studio

Klaasiklubi
Niine 11
Tallinn 10411, Estonia

Biweekly glass class and workshops: klaasiklubi.ee

Instagram: marette

Kilingi-Nõmme Politsei- ja Päästeameti ühishoone kunstiteose tegemine. Täpselt aasta konkursi välja kuulutamisest ja nüüd on kõik valmis ning maja avatud. Oma kodukohta midagi sellist teha on MEGA! 💛🧡💚💙🩵❤️

🌈🌈

Tänasest Adamson-Ericu muuseumis.
&bdquo;Tasakaalus(t väljas). Näitus märkamisest ja meelerahust“ on nüüd avatud! Karin Vicente’i kureeritud väljapanek kutsub mõtisklema, kuidas hoida elus tasaka

Tänasest Adamson-Ericu muuseumis. „Tasakaalus(t väljas). Näitus märkamisest ja meelerahust“ on nüüd avatud! Karin Vicente’i kureeritud väljapanek kutsub mõtisklema, kuidas hoida elus tasakaalu ning tulla toime muutuste ja raskustega. Täpselt minu teetassike. Osalevad kunstnikud: Ingrid Allik, Merle Kannus, Flo Kasearu, Karel Koplimets, Urmas Lüüs, Piret Räni, Maret Sarapu, Sigrid Viir

“Legendide aeg” on Eesti Klaasikunstnike Ühenduse aastanäitus. See on meile oluline ja armas traditsioon. Näitus on veel kuu aega avatud. Tulge vaatama!

Tallinn Applied Art Triennial announces an open call for its 2024 main exhibition The Fine Lines of Constructiveness. The open call welcomes applications from artists from the Baltic and the Nordic countries. For the main exhibition, artists will be selected via open call as well as via invitation by the curator (yours truly) Maret Sarapu. Submissions are open until 15 March 2024 via Typeform (link in bio) #opencall #tallinntriennial #triennial #contemporarycraft #exhibition #opennow #kaiartcenter #appliedart

Head hoogu ja ootustega toimetulekut kõigile käesolevaks aastaks! Mina ei saa nagu aastale õiget minekut sisse, kui vana pole viisakalt kokku võetud. Niiet ciaopakaa, 2023, olid ju täitsa norm, aga ikkagi veits imelik ka. Oli erisuguseid reise (LA, Läti-Leedu, Soome, Riia ja Stockholm), isikunäitus (“Vaba ja hoitud” Draakonis) ja mitu grupikat, lõpuks sai valmis MURGi teos (“Voog”) ja sünnipäev oli ülitore. Üldse oli toredaid seltskondasid, ootamatult palju trenni ja vähe lugemist. Suvi oli täis saari ja sebimist ja sügisel täitis Triinu koha Maarus.

VOOG numbrites: 1,5 aastat konkursist valmimiseni, 73 m2 klaasi, kokku 1,5 tonni. Aitäh Andres Sykiäinenile Inseneribüroost AR Engineering Office ning Urmas Sepale ja tervele Klaasissepa perele! Edu #murg ile! 📸mina ja @krista.molder #voog #flow #maretsarapu #artinpublicplaces #klaasissepp #murg

VOOG. Mustamäe Riigigümnaasiumi kunstiteos. Vooks nimetatakse psühholoogilist seisundit, kus inimene on täielikult keskendunud ning tunneb, et aeg möödub kiiresti. Oskuste ja väljakutse vahel valitseb ideaalne tasakaal. Selline tunne võiks koolis olla sagedane. Soovin seda MURGi paljupalju! 💚 Püüdsin selles suunas ka ise, nii seda teost kavandades kui ka planeerides, aga ausalt öeldes oli väljakutse valdavalt vägagi tuntav. Tellinguid mööda ma ju ei roninud, aga mingid muud lihased peas ja südmes said korraliku trenni. 🦾 Aitäh Andres Sykiäinenile Inseneribüroost AR Engineering Office ning Urmas Sepale ja tervele Klaasissepa perele! Aitäh 📸 @karelkoplimets

Kunagi on ikka esimene kord. Minu esimene reel ja selle koolimaja esimene september.

Publications

Vesi läbi metalli ja klaasi, ERR, 20.11.2013

Selgusid ERRi renoveeritud uudistemaja kunstikonkursi tulemused, ERR, 09.01.2017

Galerii: Maret Sarapu paigaldab ERRi uudistemaja seinale treppi, ERR, 28.03.2017

Galerii: Jaan Elken tutvus uudistemaja kunstiga (video), ERR, 30.03.2017

Euroopa Liidu IT-agentuuri kunstikonkursi võitis installatsioon "Jäämägi", ERR, 14.10.2017

EMTA kontserdi- ja teatrimaja kunstikonkursi võitis Maret Sarapu, ERR, 10.12.2018

Maret Sarapu: mulle pakub rõõmu asjadele erinevate vaatenurkade loomine, ERR, 06.05.2019