Events

The department of Interaction Design MA at EKA will contribute to the World Usability Day Estonia (WUD) with a public talk and workshop.

Conference FB event

Nesli Hazal Oktay’s Talk

Tanel Kärp’s Workshop

Conference LinkedIn event

World Usability Day Estonia (WUD) is an annual UX-, web- and interaction design conference, the largest in the Baltics. WUD 2023 topic is Collaboration and Cooperation.

This year’s WUD theme encompasses the essence of effective teamwork and smooth interaction in the realm of User Experience (UX). We aim to shed light on the significance of synergy and collective effort in driving innovation and fostering a cohesive UX community.

The event is in English and this year we will continue with the hybrid format which combines a live event (Kultuurikatel) with an online event.

November 21-23rd – workshop days
November 23rd – pre-event at Tallinn University (Narva mnt 25, Tallinn)
November 24th – conference day – the hybrid format – combines a live event (Kultuurikatel, Põhja puiestee 27a, Tallinn, ESTONIA) with an online event

You can watch the conference till the end of the year 2023!

More information on the event website

#wud2023 #ux #conference

BOOK LAUNCH: Urbanizing Suburbia: Hyper-Gentrification, the Financialization of Housing and the Remaking of the Outer European City

Location: EKA Lobby, Canteen

Time: 21.11.2023 @ 18:00

Urbanizing Suburbia considers three current and related processes underway in global cities: the hyper-gentrification of inner cities, the financialization of housing, and the structural changes occurring in the outer city. Rocketing housing prices have displaced residents from inner cities and created a rent gap in outer cities. Increasingly, municipalities, developers, and displaced residents search for opportunities in the suburban belts. Changes in demographics, densities, live/work ratios, and tenures are remaking outer cities, rendering them less and less suburban. The book examines these changes by looking at four key European cities: Amsterdam, Berlin, London, and Stockholm. It is a first attempt at understanding the three processes discussed here within one comprehensive explanatory framework.

Editors are EKA adjunct staff teaching at the faculty of Architecture Tahl Kaminer, Leonard Ma and Helen Runting.

EKA Prof of Urban Studies Maroš Krivy has contributed in the book with one chapter.

Urbanizing Suburbia is published by JOVIS (De Gruyter) and the publication is supported by EKA. EKA urban studies students have been part of collecting materials for the book.

The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Kaja Pae. 

It is possible to buy the book at the presentation.

“The Life and Death”

Miradonna Sirkka and Sofi Häkkinen have worked together for 8 years – and counting. The pair has created the artistic world of Recover Laboratory, a Finnish pioneer of immersive performances. Sirkka hails from experimental contemporary circus and Häkkinen from fine arts; together they explore the space of performance art with their signature way of looking at the world, where the mundane becomes surreal, and humor and vulnerability are present simultaneously. 

Sirkka and Häkkinen’s performance “the Life and Death” brings together elements of performance art, DJ & VJ gigs, and having grown up in the 00’s. The performance can be seen as criticism of hetero- and mono-normativity, along with capitalistic perfectionism. Queerdos Häkkinen and Sirkka build a shared moment of fun, weirdness, horror, play, love and tears, while probing around the space they occupy right now both mentally and physically.

In the performance, the hypersexualization afab bodies are subjected to in everyday life is made visible and reclaimed. The duo takes matters into their own hands with the imagery of popular culture, movies and music. The performance rises from pure enjoyment. One of the kindles for the piece is the many incidents when the artist’s work has been criticized for showing boobs on stage.

CW: sexual movement, childbirth, death, tattoo needles, nudity

On October 23, as part of EKA Ceramics 100, it will be possible to watch the 2020 documentary film 972 Breakdowns by Daniel von Rüdiger, which shows the 2.5-year trip on motorcycles through Siberia by five young artists (among whom Kaupo Holmberg, an alumnus of the ceramics department).

On the colorful journey, which starts in Germany and is planned to go through Georgia, Mongolia, Siberia and New York, Canada, the group also experiences many setbacks, which are overcome with the help of friendship, creativity and youthful enthusiasm.

The film is in English, German and Russian, with English subtitles. It lasted 110 minutes

Place: A-501, start at 17.00

In autumn 2023, the open architectural lectures will take place under the title Mobile Masters. The theme brings architects and theorists to Tallinn, who analyse architecture’s flexibility and the mobile practices of architects, spatial designers and artists.

On October 26, at 6 pm Berlin-based architect, designer and carpenter Alexander Römer will be on the EKA main hall stage in Tallinn with the lecture Convivial Ground.

Alexander Römer initiated the international design-build network ConstructLab in 2012 as a member of the former EXYZT collective (2005–2013). ConstructLab is a laboratory for action research, constructive experimentation and interdisciplinary creation.

ConstructLab takes a dynamic approach to uniting concepts, realisation and activation of project situations. Breaking with traditional divisions of labour, the organisation engages a team of multitalented artists and designers – as well as sociologists, urban planners, graphic designers, film makers, photographers, curators, educators, and web developers – who carry the creative process from the drafting table into the field, enabling concept and design to respond to the possibilities and constraints posed by an environment, it’s people and utilisation.

Alexander introduces his lecture in the following words:

Construction is fundamentally a collaborative activity. In this talk, the collaborative aspects of construction processes are examined from different perspectives. In the design and planning process a lot of different expertise comes together, in the construction itself different trades are involved and during the construction there are situations where in sometimes very short moments, e.g. when straightening a roof truss, a lot of hands are needed. A planning and construction process is complex and can only succeed in teamwork. In addition, a broad community is created through participation processes in the building process, and through this participation, a community that cares about the building itself.

I would like to convey the community aspect of design-build processes by looking at our ConstructLab projects. In doing so, I draw on the content structure of the latest ConstructLab book Convivial Ground. Stories from a Spatial Practice (Jovis 2023, Editors: Joanne Pouzenc, Peter Zuiderwijk and Alexander Römer).

*

The open lectures are intended for students and professionals of all disciplines, not just the field of architecture. All lectures take place in the large auditorium of EKA, are in English, free of charge and open to all interested parties. Be there!

Within the framework of a series of open lectures, the Department of Architecture and Urban Design of EKA brings to the audience in Tallinn every academic year about a dozen unique practitioners and valued theoreticians of the field. You can watch previous lectures  www.avatudloengud.ee

The lecture series is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

Curator: Gregor Taul

October 22th, 12–16 in Paljassaare.

More info in Urban Studies, Estonian Academy of Arts facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/urbantallinn

First year students of Urban Studies have spent half a semester exploring Paljassaare, the strip of land that takes one to the end of Tallinn, to the place where all the waste of the capital city ends up… and where all the high-flying visions of eco-city by the sea are waiting to be fulfilled.

On coming Sunday students will make an interim summary of their studio journey so far and are expecting everyone interested to join them on a four-hour walking trip through the peninsula’s pasts, present and futures, to discover and make sense of today’s Tallinn’s Wild West .

The 17th conference from the series Studies in Contemporary Culture, dedicated to one of the key Estonian literary works from the transition era, Emil Tode’s groundbreaking novel Border State, will take place on October 16th, 2023, at the Writers’ House in Tallinn (Harju 1).

The conference is organized by the Research Group of Contemporary Estonian Culture (EKA KVI, TLÜ TÜHI and TÜ) in collaboration with the Estonian Writers’ Union, and funded by Estonian Research Council (grant PRG636), Cultural Endowment of Estonia and EKA’s Research Foundation.

Transform4Europe Open Dual Lecture: “Dissonant Heritage: Re-evaluating the Soviet Legacies”. 

On October 17, the Estonian Academy of Arts will organize an open conversation/ lecture with two speakers, where academic knowledge and practitioner are discussing about the dissonant heritage from the Soviet Legacies

The dual lecture will explore both local and transnational aspects of dissonant heritage in relation to Soviet legacies. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion on Ukraine in February 2022, Russian political behaviour, both in present and past, has been discussed across Europe and beyond as never before, including scrutinising Soviet and Russian-related heritage as one of the reactions to the aggression. This has resulted in creating new and opening up old conflicts between different communities. On the other hand, the situation gives a much needed opportunity for countries and memory groups to acknowledge their collective suppressed conflicts, provoking discussions that had been put on hold for decades. In this delicate process, transregional exchange of comparative experiences is substantial, paving the way for balanced discussions and cross-disciplinary expertise on heritage protection. 

On behalf of EKA – Anu Soojärv

Her field of research is Estonian monumental art in the Soviet era, focusing on the role of public monuments in identity formation of local communities. In her everyday work she is mapping and documenting public monuments and works of art from the perspective of preservation and data gathering. She is a doctoral student and a junior researcher in EKA at the department of Cultural Heritage and Conservation. 

You are invited to the Summer Hall (Suvesaal) of Maarjamäe Castle, doors open at 4:30 p.m. 

The event will be broadcast live on YouTube, but you can definitely have a more exciting discussion experience when you join us in Tallinn, at Maarjamäe!

NB! The event will be in English.

On October 27, we will celebrate the 109th anniversary of the Estonian Academy of Arts and the 100th anniversary of EKA ceramics with a joint big party, where we welcome all our alumni, students, employees and friends! There will be a big reunion – dear gatherings and, of course, also new joyful acquaintances.

For the second time already, a charity auction of the creations of EKA alumni and students will take place, half of the proceeds of which will be collected for the award fund for young artists and designers, the Leo Rollin support fund for the ceramics students, and the other half will go to the authors. Explore the works coming up for auction HERE.

You will see Keithy Kuuspu’s performance, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of EKA’s ceramics studies, an exhibition curated in cooperation with EKA’s museum, and ceramic-themed art by Mihkel Ilus.

We will eat a cake baked and designed by Maria Ader Bailey, an alumna of the painting major of EKA, listen to the beats and tunes of musicians and DJs from EKA’s music fund, sing karaoke with alumna Helina Risti, and of course dance!

There will be a tour of the EKA museum showcasing alumni works and a tour of the EKA building, for which we ask those interested to pre-register separately here.

Tickets for the event can be purchased in advance at a reduced price of €5 for students and €7 for others until October 24th, and supporter tickets for 109€ on Fienta here.  After that, tickets will be 7€/10€ respectively, sold on Fienta and on location. GET TICKETS HERE.

Let’s get together!

PROGRAMME

• 17.30 Doors open. EKA Shop, student bars in the lobby and gallery
• 18.00 Celebrating 100 years of EKA ceramics studies, welcome from the ceramics department, presentation of ceramic instruments: Clelia Piirsoo and Linda Viikant in room A501
• 18.00 EKA museum Metfond art tour, i.e. alumni artworks in the building (Registration link)
• 19.00 Rector’s welcome speech in the EKA gallery and assembly hall
• 19.15 EKA student Keithy Kuuspu’s performance in the lobby and courtyard
• 19.30 EKA Ceramics 100 exhibition opening (2nd floor)
• 19.45 Opening of Mihkel Ilus’ exhibition (3rd floor)
• 20.00–22.30 EKA auction in the Assembly Hall (A101)
• 20.00–21.00 EKA building tour (Registration link)
• 20.30–22.30 Drawing class with the legendary teacher Maiu Rõõmus (rõõm A306)
• 20:00–02:00 Music from the archives of former and current EKA students: DJ Inga Tislar; DJ duo Janek Murd and Erkki Tero aka Eesti Pops; DJ Andres Lõo, in the atrium
• 20.00–00.00 Video game station + weird and interactive music at EKA New Media Arts. Guest performance by Aubery Lis (as Astro The Fox)
• 21:00 to 23:00 Alumna Helina Risti’s karaoke hall (room A202)
• 23.00 CAKE, the work of painting alumnus Maria Ader Bailey, in the Gallery

(the programme may change)

All ERKI, Tallinn University of Arts’, and EKA alumni, students, lecturers, colleagues, and friends are welcome!

GET TICKETS HERE!

AUCTION

Explore the works coming up for auction HERE.

Ceramic artworks will be offered for bidding with a starting price of €100, while the rest will start at €109. The artist will receive 50% of the selling price, and the remaining 50% will be donated to the Young Artist and Young Applied Artist Prize Fund, as well as the Leo Rohlin Foundation, supporting young ceramic artists.

If you wish to participate as a buyer in the auction, please register here: https://forms.gle/3YtnRJUrLgaj3A8XA. (You can also register in person before the start of the auction)

If you cannot attend the auction in person but are interested in bidding on a specific piece, please use the registration form above to indicate the artist’s name of the desired work and the maximum amount you are willing to bid for it. The auction team will place bids on your behalf with the goal of acquiring the artwork at the best possible final price.

For any questions, please contact: eka@artun.ee

Now that September has flown by we can finally celebrate the traditional hazing of EKA freshmen – foxes!

All EKA students and lecturers and friends of EKA are invited!

This year’s theme is PROPAGANDA.

Register your course here

20.00 – dj loveknot

21.00 – performances