Konrad Mägi

This exhibition explored the world of vivid light, bold landscapes and striking portraits of Konrad Mägi (1878–1925).

A pioneer of modern art whose work is largely unknown in the UK, Magi created paintings filled with energy , intensity and emotion - shaped by travel, nature and a restless creative spirit. 

With over 60 works brought together for the first time, the exhibition offered a chance to discover an artist who feels surprisingly contemporary, and unexpectedly moving.

Throughout his short but brilliant career, Mägi constantly reinvented his style. This exhibition traced that journey: from the radiant Norwegian landscapes that first brought him acclaim, to striking portraits that reveal his bold use of colour and expressive brushwork.

It showed Mägi’s breakthrough works from the Baltic islands, painted during summers in Saaremaa and Vilsandi, where wild flora and vast seas inspired some of his most vibrant canvases. The final room brought you to Southern Estonia, where Mägi’s late landscapes capture shimmering lakes and dramatic skies, reflecting his fascination with nature, rhythm, and the mystical.

Along the way, you could discover how Mägi absorbed influences from Cubism and German Expressionism, while forging a style that was entirely his own: intense, experimental, and deeply connected to the world around him.

Alongside Mägi’s masterpieces, visitors encountered a new commission by contemporary Estonian artist Kristina Õllek. Created during a residency in the Saaremaa islands, her sculptural installation uses sea salt, limestone, and cyanobacteria to explore the living, evolving nature of landscape, placing past and present in powerful dialogue.

Curated by Kathleen Soriano.