Enn Kunila


Enn Kunila is an Estonian entrepreneur and art collector.
Kunila is a Member of the Board and one of the shareholders of NG Investeeringud, which is one of the biggest Estonian private capital based investment and holding companies in Estonia. NG Investeeringud group employs more than 4,700 people and operates in trade, industry and real estate.
Enn Kunila was awarded the Order of the White Star, Fourth Class in 2006 by the President of the Republic of Estonia in recognition for his contribution to Estonian entrepreneurship.
Enn Kunila is a member of the governing bodies of different public enterprise-related organizations. He has been the Chairman of the Council of the Association of Estonian Food Industry and a Member of the Council of The Estonian Cultural Endowment for several years.
As an art collector and patron, Enn Kunila has been a remarkable endorser of Estonian art life. To acknowledge his deeds, the Estonian Museum Association entitled Enn Kunila “Friend of Estonian Museums” in 2009, and in 2010 he was the honouree for the U.S. Baltic Foundation Philanthropy Award of the Baltic States. In 2012 the Estonian Minister of Culture awarded the title “Friend of Culture 2011” to Enn Kunila.
Enn Kunila has served as the Chairman of the Board of the Art Museum of Estonia Friends of Art Society since its foundation in 2007. He is also the founder of the Board of Art Patrons that has been an important financial supporter of the Art Museum of Estonia Friends of Art Society. Kunila is also a member of the Supervisory Board of the Art Museum of Estonia Foundation since its establishment in 2016.
By profession, Enn Kunila is an engineering-technologist in the field of metal cutting processing.

Career"Kes on kes Eesti majanduses 2010", Tallinn: Eesti Kaubandus- ja Tööstuskoda. (2010) lk 104

Enn Kunila is also a member of the boards of all the enterprises that belong to the concern of NG Investeeringud.

Social Activity

Enn Kunila is the founder and owner of one of the finest art collections in Estonia. His art collection comprises works of art by important Estonian artists of the classical period. Kunila's art collection, both at the level of the works of art and at the level of the artists, is comparable to the permanent exhibitions of Estonian art museums concentrating on the same era.
Kunila's art collection has been exhibited at many significant exhibitions, for example in 2010 at the Tallinn Art Hall, where the exhibition From Köler to Subbi beat the all-time audience record with nearly 13,000 visitors, and in the autumn at Kunsthalle Helsinki, with the exhibition Viron Värit, which hosted the most elaborate exhibition of Estonian classical art exhibited abroad. In 2015, Enn Kunila's art collection was exhibited in Rome at the Vittoriano Museum with the exhibition I colori del Nord.
Enn Kunila has written in Estonian Classical Painting from Enn Kunila’s Collection, the book introducing his art collection:
Enn Kunila also believes that a particular painting may be owned by him, but the value of art pertains to our culture and this obliges him to arrange exhibitions and publish books of his collection.
Artists represented in Kunila's collection: Johann Köler, Amandus Adamson, Paul Raud, Ants Laikmaa, Konrad Mägi, Nikolai Triik, August Jansen, Roman Nyman, Johannes Greenberg, Paul Burman, Ado Vabbe, Aleksander Vardi, Adamson-Eric, Johannes Võerahansu, Richard Uutmaa, Eerik Haamer, Lepo Mikko, Endel Kõks, Elmar Kits, Evald Okas, Henn Roode, Olev Subbi, Tiit Pääsuke, et cetera. The collection comprises works of art by more than 60 artists.
Enn Kunila's main adviser in the field of art has been his great friend, the painter Olev Subbi.
The art critic Eero Epner has written in the book Viron värit – 150 vuotta virolaista maalaustaidetta Enn Kunilan kokoelmasta

Art Exhibitions

During the exhibition, Kunila also started an educational program, offering tours led by art scholar free of charge. He also gave the book Estonian Classical Painting from Enn Kunila’s Collection to all Estonian school libraries as a gift.
There were 111 artworks by 44 painters on display at the exhibition in Kunsthalle Helsinki.
The exhibited artists were pioneers of the traditions of Estonian painting. The artists displayed are the four links of one chain which is the history of Estonian art, particularly the painting tradition based on colour-concentration and the impression of nature.
For the first time in Estonia, an interactive multimedia programme Journey in the Golden Age was available to visitors. It utilised tablet computers that visitors could borrow from the museum. The exhibition was accompanied by a catalogue compiled by the curator Eero Epner, as well as a story and colouring book called Fish Net and Milk Can.
7 March 2015 marked the passing of 85 years since the birth of the painter Olev Subbi. The anniversary of his birth was commemorated with two exhibitions:
Additionally, works of art from Enn Kunila's art collection have been on display at many important exhibitions, including the representational exhibition of Estonia in Paris in 2001, and the exhibitions Grand Tour. Eesti kunstnikud Itaalias in 2008–2009, Neoimpressionismi jälgedes. Mägi ja Finch. in 2010, Igavesti naiselik. Johannes Greenbergi ja Ferdi Sannamehe looming in 2011, Aedade järelelu in 2013, Lepo Mikko in 2013–2014, Natuuri rikkus. Eluläheduse idee ja Düsseldorfi koolkond in 2015, Ants Laikmaa. Vigala ja Capri in 2015–2016, Konrad Mägi at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in Rome in 2017–2018, Konrad Mägi in 2018–2019 at the Art Museum of Estonia, and also at several other exhibitions.

Publications

Art books and albums that have accompanied the exhibitions of Enn Kunila's collection:
Kunila has additionally published several biographical and art books: