On March 26 at 17:30, a panel discussion will take place as part of the exhibition “Dark Sky of Imagination. Jewellery by Kadri Mälk.” The discussion will feature Liesbeth den Besten (NL) and Cristina Filipe (PT). The focus of the conversation will be Kadri Mälk’s work and influence on the international stage.

Kadri Mälk’s creations can be found in the collections of dozens of prestigious international museums as well as in private collections. She also worked extensively to promote Estonian contemporary jewellery beyond Estonia and to familiarize both the local artistic community and the wider public with the phenomenon of contemporary jewellery. She often involved renowned international artists in her students’ learning process and included their works in the numerous exhibitions she organized in Estonia.

The panel will explore Kadri Mälk’s significance, reach, position, and influence in an international context, both as an author and as a mediator. The discussion will be led by Cristina Filipe (Portugal) and Liesbeth den Besten (Netherlands).

The exhibition “Dark Sky of Imagination. Jewellery by Kadri Mälk” at the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design presents one of the most influential figures in Estonian jewellery art and a truly unique author. The exhibition features more than 200 works created by Kadri Mälk (1958–2023), including jewellery, objects, and sketches. It also presents her collection of contemporary jewellery assembled over the years, comprising around two hundred works by renowned international and Estonian artists.

Cristina Filipe (Lisbon, 1965) holds a PhD in Heritage Studies from the School of Arts at the Catholic University of Porto (2018) and works as a researcher at the Research Centre for Science and Technology of the Arts (CITAR) at the same university. She also holds a Master’s degree in Art and Design from the Surrey Institute of Art & Design (2001). Filipe founded the Portuguese Association of Contemporary Jewellery (PIN – Associação Portuguesa de Joalharia Contemporânea) and served as its president from 2004 to 2023. She has written numerous articles and essays and has been a guest lecturer and visiting artist at many international schools.

Liesbeth den Besten (1956) is a Dutch art historian who has worked since the late 1980s as a freelance writer, educator, lecturer, and curator. She served as director of the Françoise van den Bosch Foundation from 2000 to 2016 and is one of the initiators of the MASieraad Master’s programme in jewellery design run between Hasselt and Amsterdam.

The panel discussion is included with the exhibition ticket.
Free entry with the Museum Card.