Exhibition “Karin Luts. Pictures from Travels”

This exhibition at the Estonian Art Museum (KUMU) interprets the importance of travel in the life and work of one of the most prominent Estonian female artists of the early 20th century, Karin Luts, through paintings, drawings, and diaries. The focus of the exhibition is on watercolors and sketches from her travels to Italy, Spain, France, and her new homeland, Sweden.
For Luts, as a painter and graphic artist, travel was an essential part of life. It was necessary for her education, to keep her creatively vibrant, and to dispel everyday worries. She often stayed at her destinations for extended periods, allowing her to immerse herself more deeply in the local environment. According to old traditions, the artist captured her impressions in a drawing or watercolor pad, sometimes on canvas. She herself did not consider the views she created during her travels to be true art, but rather something akin to photography, with the difference being that the capturing was done manually. Nevertheless, these works portray her immediate emotions and play an important role in her oeuvre.