Exhibitions
24.01.2024 — 17.02.2024
Melnikova, Keskküla, Monko, Daniliauskaitė at Draakon Gallery
On Wednesday, January 24 at 6 pm we welcome you to the opening of the exhibition Swirling, Twirling, Spinning curated by Merilin Talumaa.
The exhibition includes works by Daria Melnikova, Helena Keskküla, Marge Monko and Viktorija Daniliauskaitė.
The exhibition Swirling, Twirling, Spinning unites artists across generations in an empowering context, drawing inspiration from the ideas of Lithuanian-American archaeologist and anthropologist Marija Gimbutas. Her profound research brought attention to the ancient cultures of the Baltic region and the broader Indo-European world, exploring archaeological artefacts, linguistics, ethnography, and folklore. Gimbutas posited a thesis that prehistoric European culture centered around the worship of a Mother Goddess, as the giver of all life. A spiritual sense of connectedness was artfully expressed through a sophisticated symbol system and an abundance of ritual objects. Nature and body were honored in Europe for tens of thousands of years. Whereas women had an especially strong position in societies across Eastern and Central Europe – a tendency no longer necessarily evident today.
Swirling, Twirling, Spinning poetically weaves a narrative that bridges ancient myths and beliefs, natural cycles, and the transformative power of feminine energy across different cultures and times. Gimbutas, who having opened the treasure trove of prehistory, inspired a belief in a peaceful existence in our time – to bring back to life suppressed vital elements, such as the earth, the body (health), the feminine, and the subconscious. Participating artists, through imaginative and fictitious narratives, share personal stories and cultural myths that also reflect the influence of Gimbutas’ theories on ancient symbolism. Their works echo these concepts through a contemporary lens, incorporating elements such as spirals, circles, and motifs such as snakes and birds – symbols rooted in ancient European matriarchal cultures that continue to resonate in Baltic art and culture.
The exhibition contemplates on reimagining a world centered around goddess worship, with its emphasis on embracing womanhood, preserving nature, and forsaking warfare. Could this theoretical concept transcend into the tangible reality of our future society? Swirling, Twirling, Spinning seamlessly intertwines historical narratives and mythology, immersing us in the themes that Marija Gimbutas ignited: the celebration of life’s cycles, constant renewal, the sanctity of the female body, and the spirituality inherent in these concepts. Gimbutas’ exploration of the spiritual dimensions of a harmonious Old Europe and her vision for a New Europe free from dominance and warfare, feels remarkably pertinent in our contemporary world.
First exhibition around the heritage of Marija Gimbutas took place in L’Atlas Gallery in Paris, France (7 November 2023–3 January 2024). The cycle of exhibitions is foreseen to continue with an upcoming show in La Traverse in Marseille, France (27 August–26 October 2024).
Marija Gimbutas (1921–1994) was a Lithuanian-American archaeologist and anthropologist. She contributed to what is considered to be one of the most significant academic watershed moments in women’s studies with her archaeological and philosophical work on Neolithic culture and religion. Gimbutas is best known for her research into the Neolithic and Bronze Age cultures of “Old Europe,” a term she introduced. Old Europe referred to both the geographical area and social structures that existed before the Indo-European influence. Gimbutas unequivocally established the existence of a Goddess religion who is the most persistent feature in the archaeological record of the ancient world. The Goddess in all her manifestations was a symbol of the unity of all life in nature. Gimbutas’ discoveries took on great symbolic importance for feminists across various disciplines who found, in her vision of a peaceful, nature-revering society, a sense of hope for the future based on this foundation in the distant past.
Roots to Routes is an initiative created by curators Merilin Talumaa, Maija Rudovska and Justė Kostikovaitė, gathering a community of artists, curators and cultural producers whose trajectories are connected to the Baltic states region. Acting as a nomadic agency, its goal is to support and make visible artistic practices beyond cultural and (geo)political borders. An important part of the collaboration is to create and develop possible joint projects, aiming to build sustainable networks and forms of cooperation between various art scenes.
https://roots2routes.org/
Exhibitions in Draakon gallery are supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Ministry of Culture and Liviko AS.
Melnikova, Keskküla, Monko, Daniliauskaitė at Draakon Gallery
Wednesday 24 January, 2024 — Saturday 17 February, 2024
On Wednesday, January 24 at 6 pm we welcome you to the opening of the exhibition Swirling, Twirling, Spinning curated by Merilin Talumaa.
The exhibition includes works by Daria Melnikova, Helena Keskküla, Marge Monko and Viktorija Daniliauskaitė.
The exhibition Swirling, Twirling, Spinning unites artists across generations in an empowering context, drawing inspiration from the ideas of Lithuanian-American archaeologist and anthropologist Marija Gimbutas. Her profound research brought attention to the ancient cultures of the Baltic region and the broader Indo-European world, exploring archaeological artefacts, linguistics, ethnography, and folklore. Gimbutas posited a thesis that prehistoric European culture centered around the worship of a Mother Goddess, as the giver of all life. A spiritual sense of connectedness was artfully expressed through a sophisticated symbol system and an abundance of ritual objects. Nature and body were honored in Europe for tens of thousands of years. Whereas women had an especially strong position in societies across Eastern and Central Europe – a tendency no longer necessarily evident today.
Swirling, Twirling, Spinning poetically weaves a narrative that bridges ancient myths and beliefs, natural cycles, and the transformative power of feminine energy across different cultures and times. Gimbutas, who having opened the treasure trove of prehistory, inspired a belief in a peaceful existence in our time – to bring back to life suppressed vital elements, such as the earth, the body (health), the feminine, and the subconscious. Participating artists, through imaginative and fictitious narratives, share personal stories and cultural myths that also reflect the influence of Gimbutas’ theories on ancient symbolism. Their works echo these concepts through a contemporary lens, incorporating elements such as spirals, circles, and motifs such as snakes and birds – symbols rooted in ancient European matriarchal cultures that continue to resonate in Baltic art and culture.
The exhibition contemplates on reimagining a world centered around goddess worship, with its emphasis on embracing womanhood, preserving nature, and forsaking warfare. Could this theoretical concept transcend into the tangible reality of our future society? Swirling, Twirling, Spinning seamlessly intertwines historical narratives and mythology, immersing us in the themes that Marija Gimbutas ignited: the celebration of life’s cycles, constant renewal, the sanctity of the female body, and the spirituality inherent in these concepts. Gimbutas’ exploration of the spiritual dimensions of a harmonious Old Europe and her vision for a New Europe free from dominance and warfare, feels remarkably pertinent in our contemporary world.
First exhibition around the heritage of Marija Gimbutas took place in L’Atlas Gallery in Paris, France (7 November 2023–3 January 2024). The cycle of exhibitions is foreseen to continue with an upcoming show in La Traverse in Marseille, France (27 August–26 October 2024).
Marija Gimbutas (1921–1994) was a Lithuanian-American archaeologist and anthropologist. She contributed to what is considered to be one of the most significant academic watershed moments in women’s studies with her archaeological and philosophical work on Neolithic culture and religion. Gimbutas is best known for her research into the Neolithic and Bronze Age cultures of “Old Europe,” a term she introduced. Old Europe referred to both the geographical area and social structures that existed before the Indo-European influence. Gimbutas unequivocally established the existence of a Goddess religion who is the most persistent feature in the archaeological record of the ancient world. The Goddess in all her manifestations was a symbol of the unity of all life in nature. Gimbutas’ discoveries took on great symbolic importance for feminists across various disciplines who found, in her vision of a peaceful, nature-revering society, a sense of hope for the future based on this foundation in the distant past.
Roots to Routes is an initiative created by curators Merilin Talumaa, Maija Rudovska and Justė Kostikovaitė, gathering a community of artists, curators and cultural producers whose trajectories are connected to the Baltic states region. Acting as a nomadic agency, its goal is to support and make visible artistic practices beyond cultural and (geo)political borders. An important part of the collaboration is to create and develop possible joint projects, aiming to build sustainable networks and forms of cooperation between various art scenes.
https://roots2routes.org/
Exhibitions in Draakon gallery are supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Ministry of Culture and Liviko AS.
17.01.2024 — 26.01.2024
Nua Collective at Vent Space
BLACKOUT
Opening 17th January 2024 at 7pm (EET)
Running until January 26th 2024
Scattered around the world, Nua Collective are a group of professional visual artists that collaborate together to create, share and support one another in their journey as artists. Blackout marks their first physical exhibition and they are delighted to continue their international tour in Vent Space.
Presenting the works of 13 Nua Collective artists, the Blackout series looks at climate change through a particular lens—blackout. Or the loss of self security that comes from our reliance on unreliable energy. The works wrestle with our human responses to the insecurity inflicted by the anthropomorphic blackout. This exhibition of lino prints that are unique and in their creation and processing have already travelled the globe and will also feature the premiere of the Blackout Documentary screened at the space throughout the exhibition run.
Together Nua Collective artists make an inquiry about our climate catastrophe and the energy crisis that we continue to face.
Nua Collective at Vent Space
Wednesday 17 January, 2024 — Friday 26 January, 2024
BLACKOUT
Opening 17th January 2024 at 7pm (EET)
Running until January 26th 2024
Scattered around the world, Nua Collective are a group of professional visual artists that collaborate together to create, share and support one another in their journey as artists. Blackout marks their first physical exhibition and they are delighted to continue their international tour in Vent Space.
Presenting the works of 13 Nua Collective artists, the Blackout series looks at climate change through a particular lens—blackout. Or the loss of self security that comes from our reliance on unreliable energy. The works wrestle with our human responses to the insecurity inflicted by the anthropomorphic blackout. This exhibition of lino prints that are unique and in their creation and processing have already travelled the globe and will also feature the premiere of the Blackout Documentary screened at the space throughout the exhibition run.
Together Nua Collective artists make an inquiry about our climate catastrophe and the energy crisis that we continue to face.
06.01.2024 — 07.02.2024
Tim Daniel Suvi & Anu Antsi at Galerii Metropol
Anu Antsi anuantsi@gmail.com
Kaarel Kütas +372 5217649, kaarel.kytas@gmail.com or Triinu Jürves triyrves@gmail.com
FB: Metropol galerii
IG: metropolkapp
Metropol in NOBA art map: noba.ac/et/galerii/galerii-metropol-6m2-metropol-kapp/
Tim Daniel Suvi & Anu Antsi at Galerii Metropol
Saturday 06 January, 2024 — Wednesday 07 February, 2024
Anu Antsi anuantsi@gmail.com
Kaarel Kütas +372 5217649, kaarel.kytas@gmail.com or Triinu Jürves triyrves@gmail.com
FB: Metropol galerii
IG: metropolkapp
Metropol in NOBA art map: noba.ac/et/galerii/galerii-metropol-6m2-metropol-kapp/
29.12.2023 — 22.01.2024
Sten Saarits at Hobusepea Gallery
On Friday, December 29 at 6 pm we open the solo exhibition “It will take approximately 25 minutes to experience this exhibition, we apologize for any inconvenience” by Sten Saarits. The exhibition will remain open until January 22, 2024.
How much of our valuable time do we unconsciously give for nothing, without receiving anything in return.. Like drifting obliviously, without noticing the surroundings and those around us. The desire to belong is fundamentally a basic human need. Studies suggest that the craving for social interactions arise from the same region of the brain where our need for food is felt, and when we are excluded, the experience is processed in the same brain region responsible for the sensation of physical pain.. And then we activate. Like toys with new batteries. Panic-induced false belonging sets in, and smart devices play a significant role in fulfilling the basic need for connection. The somewhat unsettling sense of non-belonging paves the way for digital non-spaces and fantastic, theatrical realms within it. Humans have the essential need to observe and be observed.. To be seen, heard and considered by others. It is safe to move in packs, each one still lonely, eyes staring to the non-world.. because the possibility for non-world is always present; it is nowhere and belongs to no one.. There is no accountability, neither for actions nor for consequences, I do not participate, I am just an observer.. Slightly calming, somewhat entertaining, but excellent for passing the time.
Our desire to belong pushes us to action, but it cannot happen without sacrifice. Am I willing though.. These are my experiences, my belongings, my people, my thoughts and feelings.. What if the new ones are not coming.. Will I remain stranded here, idle and free-falling in the middle world.. And so we turn, cautiously testing our trust, and walking into the future.. We sort of slowly begin to move, and then we circle back to a core familiar to us.. There is a sense of security when we know that we are for a fact present in a specific place, at least physically. “I’ll wear a reflective vest as well – so if I happen to wander too far, would you mind calling me back, okay?” If someone generous in real life would put these dots down for us, there would be a clear objective and it would be easy.. no need to think much ourselves. And so it often is, that we let our lives be curated by someone else’s dots.. thinking that these are our own choices.
Kristel Saan
Special thanks to Erko Ever, Carmen Kalata, Egle Ehtjen, Madli Kadakas, Tiina Vändre, Mart Joost, Kert Viiart, Kristel Saan, Sirje ja Rein Kuusik, Kertu Rooma ja T1 Keskus.
Exhibition is supported by: Estonian Cultural Endowment
Exhibitions in Hobusepea gallery are supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Ministry of Culture and Liviko AS.
Sten Saarits at Hobusepea Gallery
Friday 29 December, 2023 — Monday 22 January, 2024
On Friday, December 29 at 6 pm we open the solo exhibition “It will take approximately 25 minutes to experience this exhibition, we apologize for any inconvenience” by Sten Saarits. The exhibition will remain open until January 22, 2024.
How much of our valuable time do we unconsciously give for nothing, without receiving anything in return.. Like drifting obliviously, without noticing the surroundings and those around us. The desire to belong is fundamentally a basic human need. Studies suggest that the craving for social interactions arise from the same region of the brain where our need for food is felt, and when we are excluded, the experience is processed in the same brain region responsible for the sensation of physical pain.. And then we activate. Like toys with new batteries. Panic-induced false belonging sets in, and smart devices play a significant role in fulfilling the basic need for connection. The somewhat unsettling sense of non-belonging paves the way for digital non-spaces and fantastic, theatrical realms within it. Humans have the essential need to observe and be observed.. To be seen, heard and considered by others. It is safe to move in packs, each one still lonely, eyes staring to the non-world.. because the possibility for non-world is always present; it is nowhere and belongs to no one.. There is no accountability, neither for actions nor for consequences, I do not participate, I am just an observer.. Slightly calming, somewhat entertaining, but excellent for passing the time.
Our desire to belong pushes us to action, but it cannot happen without sacrifice. Am I willing though.. These are my experiences, my belongings, my people, my thoughts and feelings.. What if the new ones are not coming.. Will I remain stranded here, idle and free-falling in the middle world.. And so we turn, cautiously testing our trust, and walking into the future.. We sort of slowly begin to move, and then we circle back to a core familiar to us.. There is a sense of security when we know that we are for a fact present in a specific place, at least physically. “I’ll wear a reflective vest as well – so if I happen to wander too far, would you mind calling me back, okay?” If someone generous in real life would put these dots down for us, there would be a clear objective and it would be easy.. no need to think much ourselves. And so it often is, that we let our lives be curated by someone else’s dots.. thinking that these are our own choices.
Kristel Saan
Special thanks to Erko Ever, Carmen Kalata, Egle Ehtjen, Madli Kadakas, Tiina Vändre, Mart Joost, Kert Viiart, Kristel Saan, Sirje ja Rein Kuusik, Kertu Rooma ja T1 Keskus.
Exhibition is supported by: Estonian Cultural Endowment
Exhibitions in Hobusepea gallery are supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Ministry of Culture and Liviko AS.
18.12.2023
Night of Antropocene, EKA ART AND DESGIN MA STUDENTS at Kanuti Gildi SAAL
18.00–18.30
Performative gathering “ “
Yuko Kinouchi, Tea Lemberpuu, Jane Muts, Maria Elise Remme, Jake Rhys Shepherd, Elo Vahtrik
We warmly invite you to slow down with us through a guided participatory gathering.
We were searching for a pause, stillness. So we ran through forests, we slept in caves, we followed the waters. Everything to escape the noise man has created. The rumor about the man-made room for silence reached our ears. We met John. He told us that after a while all you hear is the blood running within you. Heartbeat and all the sounds we were made of. There are things we can’t turn off.
In “ “ we ask you to join us to slow down, pause, and turn the attention within.
P.S. We ask you to leave your shoes and phone outside the room on arrival.
18.30–20.00
Workshop “Leaf Pounding”
Chloé Geinoz, Sven-Aleksander Mantsik, Vitor Pascal, Liza Tsindelian
The ‘Leaf pounding’ (this is the name of the technique of hammering plants onto paper or fabric in order to print them on it) project is a printing workshop using ecological and sustainable materials.
Our workshop is based on the different practices of the people in the group. It was important for us that everyone’s personal artistic touch could be found in the project: Liza uses second-hand materials, Chloé uses plants a lot, Vitor and Sven have a practice linked to printing techniques and critical text.
18.30–20.00
Installation “I Like Earth and Earth Likes Me”
Eleftheria Kofidou, Jana Mätas, Caroline Pajusaar, KitKit Para, Kadri Vahar, Edgar Volkov
The vertebral column is the main supporting structure of the body and mind, as the nerve cells within the spinal cord carry all the signals that are required to sustain the organism. These interlinked systems – all connected with our spine – control our every activity; our waking, dreaming, and sleeping and our stability depends on their successful collaboration. Our tired bones are only resting when lying on this soil, yet the Earth’s skin is becoming more and more occupied. What would become of our body landscapes after all? Our artificial remains shall be Earth’s new spine.
18.30–20.00
“Can I speak to the manager? It’s about the anthropocene”
Yvette Bathgate, Mihhail Boitsov, Katariina Kesküla, Merilin Põldsam, Kristi Vendelin
Collectively we explore interconnection through the process of binding; artworks, papers and text. A short manifesto style text, alongside five artworks will bind our individual expressions together and will be presented in installation and hand bound booklet formats.
The works have been made as part of the “Art in the Age of the Anthropocene” course for the EKA Contemporary Art and Design & Crafts MA students (instructors Sandra Kossorotova, Linda Kaljundi).
Night of Antropocene, EKA ART AND DESGIN MA STUDENTS at Kanuti Gildi SAAL
Monday 18 December, 2023
18.00–18.30
Performative gathering “ “
Yuko Kinouchi, Tea Lemberpuu, Jane Muts, Maria Elise Remme, Jake Rhys Shepherd, Elo Vahtrik
We warmly invite you to slow down with us through a guided participatory gathering.
We were searching for a pause, stillness. So we ran through forests, we slept in caves, we followed the waters. Everything to escape the noise man has created. The rumor about the man-made room for silence reached our ears. We met John. He told us that after a while all you hear is the blood running within you. Heartbeat and all the sounds we were made of. There are things we can’t turn off.
In “ “ we ask you to join us to slow down, pause, and turn the attention within.
P.S. We ask you to leave your shoes and phone outside the room on arrival.
18.30–20.00
Workshop “Leaf Pounding”
Chloé Geinoz, Sven-Aleksander Mantsik, Vitor Pascal, Liza Tsindelian
The ‘Leaf pounding’ (this is the name of the technique of hammering plants onto paper or fabric in order to print them on it) project is a printing workshop using ecological and sustainable materials.
Our workshop is based on the different practices of the people in the group. It was important for us that everyone’s personal artistic touch could be found in the project: Liza uses second-hand materials, Chloé uses plants a lot, Vitor and Sven have a practice linked to printing techniques and critical text.
18.30–20.00
Installation “I Like Earth and Earth Likes Me”
Eleftheria Kofidou, Jana Mätas, Caroline Pajusaar, KitKit Para, Kadri Vahar, Edgar Volkov
The vertebral column is the main supporting structure of the body and mind, as the nerve cells within the spinal cord carry all the signals that are required to sustain the organism. These interlinked systems – all connected with our spine – control our every activity; our waking, dreaming, and sleeping and our stability depends on their successful collaboration. Our tired bones are only resting when lying on this soil, yet the Earth’s skin is becoming more and more occupied. What would become of our body landscapes after all? Our artificial remains shall be Earth’s new spine.
18.30–20.00
“Can I speak to the manager? It’s about the anthropocene”
Yvette Bathgate, Mihhail Boitsov, Katariina Kesküla, Merilin Põldsam, Kristi Vendelin
Collectively we explore interconnection through the process of binding; artworks, papers and text. A short manifesto style text, alongside five artworks will bind our individual expressions together and will be presented in installation and hand bound booklet formats.
The works have been made as part of the “Art in the Age of the Anthropocene” course for the EKA Contemporary Art and Design & Crafts MA students (instructors Sandra Kossorotova, Linda Kaljundi).
14.12.2023 — 26.05.2024
You, River. Hedi Jaansoo, Peeter Tooming and Endel Veliste at Kumu
The exhibition brings together three different, yet equally sensitive artistic visions. Through the lens of a camera, the photographers Peeter Tooming (1939–1997) and Endel Veliste (1930–2001) and the visual artist Hedi Jaansoo (b 1989) recorded points of intersection between human beings and nature.
Their photographic series exemplify how the camera may amplify the distance from the surrounding environment, lend voices to stones, plants and water, and make the intrinsic interlacing of natural and artificial environments visible.
In the context of current environmental issues, this exhibition creates a poetic dialogue between photographic series by two Soviet-era photographers and a modern-day visual artist. It urges viewers to think about the relationship between nature and people and about the mediating role of technology in that relationship.
“You, River” is the exhibition that reopens the Project Room, which is part of the permanent Soviet Estonian art display. The purpose of Project Room exhibitions is to expand and complement the range of topics and artists included in the permanent exhibition, to contribute to creating trans-temporal and transnational dialogues, and to correlate with the primary research and exhibition projects of Kumu.
Curator Annika Toots on the exhibition:
The title of the exhibition You, River has been borrowed from Peeter Tooming’s photo series devoted to a body of water and its surrounding natural environment. Created in the 1970s, it stands out as being poetic and fragile, and is associated with the environmental topics that entered Estonian art in those days. Endel Veliste’s series View Through the Car Window dates from the same decade. Veliste’s eye follows and captures the surrounding environment through a double barrier: the camera lens and the car window.
The 21st-century visual artist Hedi Jaansoo enters into dialogue with Tooming’s and Veliste’s photos from the second half of the 20th century. She does not set up an opposition between the natural environment and the artificial environment, but rather tries to capture points of intersection between the two realms. Jaansoo’s photos feature carefully composed human-made and natural compositions located in areas where borders are blurred and personal and public environments blend into one.
The display is part of the permanent exhibition “Conflicts and Adaptations: Estonian Art of the Soviet Era (1940–1991) ” on the 4th floor of the Kumu Art Museum.
Team
Curator: Annika Toots
Artists: Hedi Jaansoo, Peeter Tooming and Endel Veliste
Exhibition design: Villu Plink
Graphic design: Tuuli Aule
Coordinator: Anastassia Langinen
You, River. Hedi Jaansoo, Peeter Tooming and Endel Veliste at Kumu
Thursday 14 December, 2023 — Sunday 26 May, 2024
The exhibition brings together three different, yet equally sensitive artistic visions. Through the lens of a camera, the photographers Peeter Tooming (1939–1997) and Endel Veliste (1930–2001) and the visual artist Hedi Jaansoo (b 1989) recorded points of intersection between human beings and nature.
Their photographic series exemplify how the camera may amplify the distance from the surrounding environment, lend voices to stones, plants and water, and make the intrinsic interlacing of natural and artificial environments visible.
In the context of current environmental issues, this exhibition creates a poetic dialogue between photographic series by two Soviet-era photographers and a modern-day visual artist. It urges viewers to think about the relationship between nature and people and about the mediating role of technology in that relationship.
“You, River” is the exhibition that reopens the Project Room, which is part of the permanent Soviet Estonian art display. The purpose of Project Room exhibitions is to expand and complement the range of topics and artists included in the permanent exhibition, to contribute to creating trans-temporal and transnational dialogues, and to correlate with the primary research and exhibition projects of Kumu.
Curator Annika Toots on the exhibition:
The title of the exhibition You, River has been borrowed from Peeter Tooming’s photo series devoted to a body of water and its surrounding natural environment. Created in the 1970s, it stands out as being poetic and fragile, and is associated with the environmental topics that entered Estonian art in those days. Endel Veliste’s series View Through the Car Window dates from the same decade. Veliste’s eye follows and captures the surrounding environment through a double barrier: the camera lens and the car window.
The 21st-century visual artist Hedi Jaansoo enters into dialogue with Tooming’s and Veliste’s photos from the second half of the 20th century. She does not set up an opposition between the natural environment and the artificial environment, but rather tries to capture points of intersection between the two realms. Jaansoo’s photos feature carefully composed human-made and natural compositions located in areas where borders are blurred and personal and public environments blend into one.
The display is part of the permanent exhibition “Conflicts and Adaptations: Estonian Art of the Soviet Era (1940–1991) ” on the 4th floor of the Kumu Art Museum.
Team
Curator: Annika Toots
Artists: Hedi Jaansoo, Peeter Tooming and Endel Veliste
Exhibition design: Villu Plink
Graphic design: Tuuli Aule
Coordinator: Anastassia Langinen
08.12.2023 — 25.02.2024
Hanna Samoson at Art Hall Laasnamäe Pavilion
You are kindly invited to the opening of Hanna Samoson’s debut exhibition today, 8 December at 6 pm in Tallinn Art Hall’s Lasnamäe Pavilion.
Magic is sometimes very close to nothing at all is an exhibition about a great flood inside a person caused by a great loss and coming to terms with it, letting go of the previous world order and building a new world from the ruins of the past life. The curator of the exhibition is Siim Preiman.
How to attain a feather-light existence and shed all excess? Hanna Samoson dedicated the past year to pondering this quest. Through her contemplations, a series of patterns emerged from her experiences, aligning like puzzle pieces with the symbols she encountered. Within the confines of the Lasnamäe Pavilion, visitors are invited to traverse a path crafted by videos, stone sculptures, and installations. This journey captivates, involving us in its narrative, yet maintaining an openness that mirrors the artist’s profound realization — that every ending is always the beginning of something new.
Fueled by grief, Samoson unlocks the door to understanding profound human experiences. Curator Siim Preiman emphasizes the impossibility of encapsulating another person’s journey in words, stating, “Hanna Samoson is not a suffering artist, but a curious, empathetic and caring person. After her loss she set her sights on reconciliation, deciding to give up everything superfluous and strive for a state where nothing is redundant, but nothing is lacking, either. On her journey Hanna encounters various people and animals, experiences powerful natural phenomena and other seemingly small but magical coincidences.”
Hanna Samoson (1987) explores the boundaries of art and tries to perceive the unknown. Being in constant motion as an intuitive creator, her work is characterised by quick and spontaneous decisions. She studied photography at the Estonian Academy of Arts and graduated from the FAMU Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in 2021. In the autumn of 2020 she walked the future route of Rail Baltic from Ikla to Tallinn as an endurance art performance, as a result of which the film Trail Baltic: A Trip to the Green (2023) was produced in cooperation with Levila. Among her latest shows are group exhibitions Pine-fulness at Tallinn City Gallery (2021) and Vana-Võromaa Cultural Centre (2022) and Runner Along the Border, Rat Catcher and Bricklayerat the Art Hall Gallery (2022).
The collaboration for the exhibition involved the support of spiritual guide Klara Hobza, along with artists and companions Helena Keskküla and Johanna Ranne, composer Janek Murd, sound designer Martin Kikas and project manager Hanna-Antheia Stern. The exhibition was designed by Kairi Mändla.
The exhibition is accompanied by a versatile audience and educational programme, information about which will be announced on Tallinn Art Hall’s website at https://www.kunstihoone.ee/programm/
The exhibition will remain open until 25 February 2024.
Tallinn Art Hall’s Lasnamäe Pavilion is located next to the Lindakivi Centre at 24 Jaan Koorti Street and is open from Wednesday to Friday from 12 to 18 and Saturday to Sunday from 12 to 19. Free entrance.
Hanna Samoson at Art Hall Laasnamäe Pavilion
Friday 08 December, 2023 — Sunday 25 February, 2024
You are kindly invited to the opening of Hanna Samoson’s debut exhibition today, 8 December at 6 pm in Tallinn Art Hall’s Lasnamäe Pavilion.
Magic is sometimes very close to nothing at all is an exhibition about a great flood inside a person caused by a great loss and coming to terms with it, letting go of the previous world order and building a new world from the ruins of the past life. The curator of the exhibition is Siim Preiman.
How to attain a feather-light existence and shed all excess? Hanna Samoson dedicated the past year to pondering this quest. Through her contemplations, a series of patterns emerged from her experiences, aligning like puzzle pieces with the symbols she encountered. Within the confines of the Lasnamäe Pavilion, visitors are invited to traverse a path crafted by videos, stone sculptures, and installations. This journey captivates, involving us in its narrative, yet maintaining an openness that mirrors the artist’s profound realization — that every ending is always the beginning of something new.
Fueled by grief, Samoson unlocks the door to understanding profound human experiences. Curator Siim Preiman emphasizes the impossibility of encapsulating another person’s journey in words, stating, “Hanna Samoson is not a suffering artist, but a curious, empathetic and caring person. After her loss she set her sights on reconciliation, deciding to give up everything superfluous and strive for a state where nothing is redundant, but nothing is lacking, either. On her journey Hanna encounters various people and animals, experiences powerful natural phenomena and other seemingly small but magical coincidences.”
Hanna Samoson (1987) explores the boundaries of art and tries to perceive the unknown. Being in constant motion as an intuitive creator, her work is characterised by quick and spontaneous decisions. She studied photography at the Estonian Academy of Arts and graduated from the FAMU Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in 2021. In the autumn of 2020 she walked the future route of Rail Baltic from Ikla to Tallinn as an endurance art performance, as a result of which the film Trail Baltic: A Trip to the Green (2023) was produced in cooperation with Levila. Among her latest shows are group exhibitions Pine-fulness at Tallinn City Gallery (2021) and Vana-Võromaa Cultural Centre (2022) and Runner Along the Border, Rat Catcher and Bricklayerat the Art Hall Gallery (2022).
The collaboration for the exhibition involved the support of spiritual guide Klara Hobza, along with artists and companions Helena Keskküla and Johanna Ranne, composer Janek Murd, sound designer Martin Kikas and project manager Hanna-Antheia Stern. The exhibition was designed by Kairi Mändla.
The exhibition is accompanied by a versatile audience and educational programme, information about which will be announced on Tallinn Art Hall’s website at https://www.kunstihoone.ee/programm/
The exhibition will remain open until 25 February 2024.
Tallinn Art Hall’s Lasnamäe Pavilion is located next to the Lindakivi Centre at 24 Jaan Koorti Street and is open from Wednesday to Friday from 12 to 18 and Saturday to Sunday from 12 to 19. Free entrance.
25.01.2024
EKA Design Showcase 2024
On January 25, 2024, the EKA Design Showcase gala will present to the audience the best cooperation projects of EKA students from the last year with companies and public sector organizations.
We are waiting for all current and future cooperation partners of EKA and those interested in future design to take part in the event!
Concepts, prototypes and ready-made solutions of innovative products and services created by students of the Faculty of Design of EKA during the last year for companies and organizations such as the Estonian National Library, Estonian Prison Service (Ministry of Justice), Antonius ÕU (Tartu Creative Economy Center), Eesti Energia, Pagulasabi MTÜ, Cignomet OÜ, Liven AS, GraceFit, Swedbank, Xarus Cosmetics OÜ, Integration SA (Ministry of Culture) and PERH will be presented.
The most influential and innovative projects will also receive awards!
These are projects created within the framework of the new business cooperation program LAETUS of the EKA Faculty of Design.
EKA has accumulated a very strong wealth of experience in carrying out cooperation projects over the years, and the LAETUS program, launched in 2022, has further expanded this field of activity. The program brings together EKA’s design field courses and business challenges of companies, offering synergy and fruitful cooperation, resulting in sustainable research and development projects that move all parties forward.
Come to the Design Showcase and get new knowledge and inspiration on how to take your organization’s products or services to the next level with the help of new generation design and open innovation in cooperation with EKA!
THE PROGRAM
15:00 EKA house tour for those interested (pre-registration required)
16:00 Start
Welcome words by moderator Jan Teevet and dean of EKA’s Faculty of Design Ruth-Helene Melioranski.
16:15-17:30 Presentations of cooperation projects
“Service Design Sprint with Real Life Challenges in Tallinn’s Biggest Hospital” – MA students of social design and service design and PERH
“Personal City – Let’s Walk!” – MA students of social design and Integration SA (Ministry of Culture)
“How to Become President?” – MA students of social design and Integration SA (Ministry of Culture)
“What Happens when a Schoolchild gets to the National Library?” – interaction design MA students and the Estonian National Library
“Nuclear Energy Experience in 2035” – MA students of interaction design and Eesti Energia
“Making Estonia a Stepping Stone” – MA students of interaction design and Pagulasabi NGO
Sustainable Natural Cosmetics Brand Concepts “PIXEL” and “æsce” – BA students of design and innovation and Xarus Cosmetics OÜ
17:20-17:45 Coffee break
17:45-18:50 Presentations of cooperation projects
“Giving Agency to Prison Inmates by Establishing Digital Communication in Tallinn Prison” – Design & Technology Futures MA students and Prison Service (Ministry of Justice)
“Empowering your fitness journey on GraceFit” – MA interaction design students and GraceFit
“National Library Service System to Support Adults with Dyslexia” – BA students in digital product design and the Estonian National Library
“Onboarding for Swedbank Based on Design Thinking” – BA students of digital product design and Swedbank
“Modular Storage of Electric Bicycles for Public Space and Apartment Associations” – BA students of industrial design and Cignomet OÜ
“Small forms of the Outdoor area of the New Residential Quarter” – BA students of design and innovation and Liven AS
“Rebranding of Antonius Õu Located in Tartu’s Historic Jaani Quarter” – BA students of design and innovation and Antonius ÕU (Tartu Creative Economy Center)
18:50 Acknowledgments and presentation of awards
19:00 The End
Presentations will be held in Estonian or English, without translation.
It is possible to participate both on site at EKA (room A101) and watch the broadcast http://tv.artun.ee/ .
We look forward to hearing from all current and future cooperation partners of EKA and those interested in future design!
Watch a video reminder of last year’s event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykpI2Jevyn0
Additional information:
Karin Kiigemägi
EKA Business Relations and Project Coordinator karin.kiigemagi@artun.ee
EKA Design Showcase 2024
Thursday 25 January, 2024
On January 25, 2024, the EKA Design Showcase gala will present to the audience the best cooperation projects of EKA students from the last year with companies and public sector organizations.
We are waiting for all current and future cooperation partners of EKA and those interested in future design to take part in the event!
Concepts, prototypes and ready-made solutions of innovative products and services created by students of the Faculty of Design of EKA during the last year for companies and organizations such as the Estonian National Library, Estonian Prison Service (Ministry of Justice), Antonius ÕU (Tartu Creative Economy Center), Eesti Energia, Pagulasabi MTÜ, Cignomet OÜ, Liven AS, GraceFit, Swedbank, Xarus Cosmetics OÜ, Integration SA (Ministry of Culture) and PERH will be presented.
The most influential and innovative projects will also receive awards!
These are projects created within the framework of the new business cooperation program LAETUS of the EKA Faculty of Design.
EKA has accumulated a very strong wealth of experience in carrying out cooperation projects over the years, and the LAETUS program, launched in 2022, has further expanded this field of activity. The program brings together EKA’s design field courses and business challenges of companies, offering synergy and fruitful cooperation, resulting in sustainable research and development projects that move all parties forward.
Come to the Design Showcase and get new knowledge and inspiration on how to take your organization’s products or services to the next level with the help of new generation design and open innovation in cooperation with EKA!
THE PROGRAM
15:00 EKA house tour for those interested (pre-registration required)
16:00 Start
Welcome words by moderator Jan Teevet and dean of EKA’s Faculty of Design Ruth-Helene Melioranski.
16:15-17:30 Presentations of cooperation projects
“Service Design Sprint with Real Life Challenges in Tallinn’s Biggest Hospital” – MA students of social design and service design and PERH
“Personal City – Let’s Walk!” – MA students of social design and Integration SA (Ministry of Culture)
“How to Become President?” – MA students of social design and Integration SA (Ministry of Culture)
“What Happens when a Schoolchild gets to the National Library?” – interaction design MA students and the Estonian National Library
“Nuclear Energy Experience in 2035” – MA students of interaction design and Eesti Energia
“Making Estonia a Stepping Stone” – MA students of interaction design and Pagulasabi NGO
Sustainable Natural Cosmetics Brand Concepts “PIXEL” and “æsce” – BA students of design and innovation and Xarus Cosmetics OÜ
17:20-17:45 Coffee break
17:45-18:50 Presentations of cooperation projects
“Giving Agency to Prison Inmates by Establishing Digital Communication in Tallinn Prison” – Design & Technology Futures MA students and Prison Service (Ministry of Justice)
“Empowering your fitness journey on GraceFit” – MA interaction design students and GraceFit
“National Library Service System to Support Adults with Dyslexia” – BA students in digital product design and the Estonian National Library
“Onboarding for Swedbank Based on Design Thinking” – BA students of digital product design and Swedbank
“Modular Storage of Electric Bicycles for Public Space and Apartment Associations” – BA students of industrial design and Cignomet OÜ
“Small forms of the Outdoor area of the New Residential Quarter” – BA students of design and innovation and Liven AS
“Rebranding of Antonius Õu Located in Tartu’s Historic Jaani Quarter” – BA students of design and innovation and Antonius ÕU (Tartu Creative Economy Center)
18:50 Acknowledgments and presentation of awards
19:00 The End
Presentations will be held in Estonian or English, without translation.
It is possible to participate both on site at EKA (room A101) and watch the broadcast http://tv.artun.ee/ .
We look forward to hearing from all current and future cooperation partners of EKA and those interested in future design!
Watch a video reminder of last year’s event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykpI2Jevyn0
Additional information:
Karin Kiigemägi
EKA Business Relations and Project Coordinator karin.kiigemagi@artun.ee
09.12.2023 — 10.12.2023
Paljassaare Kaleidoscope
From its abandoned beaches to the smelly yet indispensable water treatment plant, the hill made from trash, the willfully resistant garage town and its shiny new future plans – everything in Paljassaare seems to be exactly that: an ever-changing sequence of elements, a kaleidoscope.
After researching its abundance of topics, places and processes for one semester, first year Urban Studies students from Estonian Academy of Arts will take their turn and reflect on what they have spotted in that kaleidoscope, in a sequence of creative projects presented on site, in Paljassaare.
The detailed route and more information on each stop can be found on Urban Studies facebook page and Instagram soon!
Paljassaare Kaleidoscope
Saturday 09 December, 2023 — Sunday 10 December, 2023
From its abandoned beaches to the smelly yet indispensable water treatment plant, the hill made from trash, the willfully resistant garage town and its shiny new future plans – everything in Paljassaare seems to be exactly that: an ever-changing sequence of elements, a kaleidoscope.
After researching its abundance of topics, places and processes for one semester, first year Urban Studies students from Estonian Academy of Arts will take their turn and reflect on what they have spotted in that kaleidoscope, in a sequence of creative projects presented on site, in Paljassaare.
The detailed route and more information on each stop can be found on Urban Studies facebook page and Instagram soon!
01.12.2023 — 07.12.2023
EET/GMT+2 at Vent Space
EET/GMT+2 is a reflection on the Israel-Palestine conflict from Estonia.
The artworks featured represent the dual relations of artists and students as both insiders and outsiders to Estonian society and as insiders and outsiders to the Israeli Palestine conflict.
Navigating through the themes of war, identity, migration, local laws and the Estonian media landscape, this exhibition attempts to raise our collective political as well as social awareness.
We open up Vent Space as a space for learning, empathy, and discussion in order to lay the groundwork for building solidarity.
Collaborators:
Augustas Lapinskas
Community in EKA for Palestine
Ditiya Ferdous
Fatima-Ezzahra El Khammas
Karolis Lasys
Kush Badhwar
Lara Brener
Martha Liise Kapsta
Nabeel Imtiaz
Noah Morrison
Rok Ifko
Rose Magee
Ryan Galer
Shubham Aggarwal
EET/GMT+2 at Vent Space
Friday 01 December, 2023 — Thursday 07 December, 2023
EET/GMT+2 is a reflection on the Israel-Palestine conflict from Estonia.
The artworks featured represent the dual relations of artists and students as both insiders and outsiders to Estonian society and as insiders and outsiders to the Israeli Palestine conflict.
Navigating through the themes of war, identity, migration, local laws and the Estonian media landscape, this exhibition attempts to raise our collective political as well as social awareness.
We open up Vent Space as a space for learning, empathy, and discussion in order to lay the groundwork for building solidarity.
Collaborators:
Augustas Lapinskas
Community in EKA for Palestine
Ditiya Ferdous
Fatima-Ezzahra El Khammas
Karolis Lasys
Kush Badhwar
Lara Brener
Martha Liise Kapsta
Nabeel Imtiaz
Noah Morrison
Rok Ifko
Rose Magee
Ryan Galer
Shubham Aggarwal