Exhibitions

KÖLER PRIZE 2016
Exhibition of Nominees at the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM)
16 April – 5 June 2016
Vernissage: 15 April at 6PM
Köler Prize is an art award established in 2011 by the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM). Its main objective is to popularise contemporary art and to give recognition to important artists and art collectives that are active in Estonia.
Five artists or art collectives of Estonian origin or who reside permanently in Estonia are nominated annually for the Köler Prize on the basis of their creative work over the past three years. The Board of the EKKM selects the nominees for the Köler Prize.
The nominees for the Köler Prize 2016 are ART ALLMÄGI, KRISTA MÖLDER, KRISTI KONGI, LAURA PÕLD and RAUL KELLER.
The artists submit two works of their own choice for the exhibition: one that has already been exhibited, preferably from among the artist’s creative work of the last three years, that can also in a certain sense be considered definitive or representative of the artist’s previous work, and the other, a new work produced especially for the Köler Prize.
An international jury consisting of the following members will select the winner of the Köler Prize 2016 grand prix based on the works submitted for the exhibition and the artist’s previous creative work: Anu Vahtra (Winner of 2015 Köler Prize grand prix), Julija Fomina (Curator at the Contemporary Art Centre Vilnius), Jussi Koitela (Finnish curator and visual artist), Jörg Heiser (Co-editor of Frieze magazine) and Katja Mater (Dutch visual artist and editor).
The public also has the chance to have a say in the exhibition because in addition to the main prize, the People’s Choice Award will also be decided on the basis of voting that will take place until 26 May. The laureates of both awards will be announced at the Köler Prize 2016 Gala, which will be held on 27 May of this year.
Köler Prize awards rely entirely on art-friendly private capital. For the sixth year already, in other words from the very beginning, SMARTEN LOGISTICS AS is supporting the awarding of the main prize, and for the fourth time, SALTO AB will be funding the People’s Choice Award.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue introducing the previous creative work of the artists (the author of the texts is Eero Epner) and the documentary film Screen Tests for Köler Prize 2016, in which the nominees make sense of and comment on one another’s work.
Köler Prize will be awarded for the sixth time in 2016. The previous winners of the Köler Prize grand prix are JEVGENI ZOLOTKO, FLO KASEARU, JAANUS SAMMA, JASS KASELAAN and ANU VAHTRA.
One of the founders of the Köler Prize, member of the Board of the EKKM Anders Härm, has expanded upon the background of the award as follows: “There are several art awards in Estonia that have been named after one or another art classic. Aside from the fact that Köler simply rhymes with Turner (see Turner Prize), we were motivated to name this award after Johann Köler in particular by the chance to chronologically get ahead of other awards, so to speak, and to virtually place the Köler Prize ahead of the Kristjan Raud Award, the Konrad Mägi Medal, and the Eduard Wiiralt Prize. This circumstance is perhaps the only connection between the prize and the 19th century Estonian painter Johann Köler.”
Further information:
www.ekkm.ee
info@ekkm.ee
+372 5143778
Supporters: Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Ministry of Culture, AS Smarten Logistics, Salto AB, Draka Keila Cabels AS, Lugemik, Center for Contemporary Arts Estonia, Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center

On Wednesday, 13. April at 18:00 Ann Mirjam Vaikla will open the installation “BEAUTY ON”, balancing between the formats of an exhibition and performing arts in the Rehearsal Space series at Rundum artist-run space (Pärnu mnt. 154 courtyard).
Exhibition is open: 14. – 24. April 2016 Thu to Sun 12.00-18.00.
BEAUTY ON
From the flak tower the air raids were and unforgettable sight, and I had constantly to remind myself of the cruel reality in order not to be completely entranced by the scene: the illumination of the parachute flares […], followed by flashes of explosions which were caught by the clouds of smoke, the innumerable probing searchlights, the excitement when a plane was caught and tried to escape the cone of light, the brief flaming torch when it was hit. No doubt about it, this apocalypse provided a magnificent spectacle.
[…]
There was a sinister atmosphere full of biting smoke, soot, and flames. Sometimes the people displayed that curious hysterical merriment that is often observed in the midst of disasters. Above the city hung a cloud of smoke that probably reached twenty thousand feet in height. Even by day it made the macabre scene as dark as night.
– Albert Speer “Memoirs”
BEAUTY ON is the second part of the work, which was first realized in 2012 for the group exhibition BEAUTY OFF held at the Norwegian Theatre Academy. The spatial installation, focusing in the nature of grotesque touches on the border lines of the familiar and unfamiliar, disturbing and enjoyable, human and inhuman, the real and the fantastic, comical and fierce, the sublime and the low.
Ann Mirjam Vaikla (b. 1990) has graduated from the Norwegian Theatre Academy (Østfold University College) in 2015 where she studied scenography. Her former studies began at the Estonian Academy of Arts, and in addition she has studied in Vilnius and at the Art Academy of Latvia. In 2013 she underwent a professional internship with contemporary artist Ragnar Kjartansson at the Reykjavik City Theatre. After her studies she has participated in group exhibitions at the 5th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, the 13th Prague Quadrennial, and the Watermill Center in New York. The present exhibition “BEAUTY ON” is the artist’s first solo exhibition.
Performer: Sandra Veermets
Construction: Silver Roostik
Sound: Tarvi Kull ja Kaspar Kalluste
Light: Siim Porila
The exhibition is supported by: Cultural Endowment of Estonia
Rundum is supported by Ministry of Culture of Estonia
Special thanks: Kulla Laas, Urmo Vaikla, Tüüne-Kristin Vaikla, Sandra Veermets, Silver Roostik, Siim Porila, Tarvi Kull, Kaspar Kalluste
Additional information:
www.vaiklastudio.ee/annmirjam
www.rundumspace.com
www.facebook.com/rundumspace/

Anni Kagovere
IN GOOD TIME
April 1 – April 25, 2016
New exhibition will be open in the Vault Room of A-Gallery since April 1st, 2016
At her exhibition “In Good Time” the author presents jewellery and utensils created in Japanese metalworking procedure called mokumegane. The works made in this technique greatly differ from the usual high-gloss polished metal objects – the multicoloured surfaces of the mokumegane objects have an organic effect.
Multilayered patterns draw our full attention while inviting us to follow the lines and tracks seen in the material.
Anni Kagovere has graduated from the department of jewellery art at the Estonian Academy of Arts and obtained a MA degree in Tokyo University of the Arts. In her work, Kagovere focuses on mokumegane technique. She has held mokumegane courses at the Estonian Academy of Arts and Viljandi Culture Academy.
Exhibition will be open until April 25, 2016.

For the finissage of the “Place Oddity” exhibition, the curators Francisco Martínez and Lilli-Krõõt Repnau, and their guests, Liina Siib, Patrick Laviolette, Marika Agu, Flo Kasearu and Mihkel Kleis, will reflect about the communicating vessels between contemporary art, urban ethnography and material culture.
The event will take place in the EAA Gallery, the 1st of April at 17:00.

A joint exhibition by Tiit Pääsuke and Kris Lemsalu, the stars of two different art generations, at the Tallinn Art Hall.
A large-scale, as well as playful and colourful, dialogue between two top artists from different generations will open at the Tallinn Art Hall. The exhibition will provide the viewers with a survey of the works produced by Tiit Pääsuke, and by Kris Lemsalu, who is well known for being active on the international art arena. Inspired by each other, both authors have also produced new works for exhibition, which will be open until May 1st.
You are invited to the exhibition opening on 18 March at 6 p.m.!
Curator Tamara Luuk has created a surprising cross-generational dialogue in the exhibition with the participation of Tiit Pääsuke, the grand old man of Estonian painting, and Kris Lemsalu, a rising star in the international contemporary art scene.
“Two artists – Tiit Pääsuke (b. 1941) who established himself forcefully and firmly among Estonia’s top painters in the 70s and Kris Lemsalu, born in 1985, who was educated as a ceramicist, developed into a nomad and is now marking the art landscape as a powerful crustacean, have much in common visually: an intensity and synchronicity of colours and subject matter, which includes a substantial number of animals and women. And they are connected by the taxidermic quality, dramatic theatricality and significance of their work,” says the curator.
The independence and originality of these two artistic characters form the basis for the exhibition. Beauty and the Beast does not aspire to set the work of one artist in opposition to the other, or to make them dependent on each other.
The exhibition exudes a delight in old and new myths, as well as being as ritual. Tamara Luuk: “Lemsalu fills a gap in Estonian art history, with its dearth of “primitive energy” that works with real, wild and authentic images. Pääsuke is a sensitive master and professional, who has recognised the power of this immediate and raw cross-cultural power and who, without betraying his erudition and resources, is moving towards this primeval power and towards Kris.”
Jean Cocteau’s film Beauty and the Beast from 1946 will be screened at the Sõprus Cinema on March 23rd at 8 p.m. The film will be introduced by curator Tamara Luuk. The film is in French with English subtitles.
The exhibition was designed by Neeme Külm, installed by Valge Kuup, and the educational programme was developed in collaboration with Sally Stuudio.
Thank you: Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center, Outset Eesti, Estonian Artists Association, Surfhouse, UBC Eesti, Sõprus Cinema, NO99, Tallinn Art Ceramic Factory, Vaike Pääsuke, Riho and Margit Lemsalu, Katharina Aus, Ingrid and Andres Allik, Railey Harmond, Kerli Praks, Olga Temnikova, Kadri Karro, Risto Kalmre, Martin Kuum, Kristopher Luigend, Jan Moszumanski, Mart Norman
Art Museum of Estonia, Tartmus, Tõnis Arro, Lilja Blumenfeld, Jüri Hain, Epp-Maria Kokamägi, Rene Kuulmann, Marje Lohuaru, Janek Mäggi, Maria Mägi-Rohtmets, Indrek Orro, Epp Rebane, Ain Tähiste
Tiit Pääsuke and Kris Lemsalu. Beauty and the Beast
Curator Tamara Luuk
Tallinn Art Hall
19 March – 1 May 2016
Vabaduse väljak 8
Wed-Sun, Noon – 6 p.m., € 3.50/€ 2.50
www.kunstihoone.ee
More information:
Tamara Luuk, curator
tamara@kunstihoone.ee
Press release by:
Anneli Porri
anneli@kunstihoone.ee

LadyFest Tallinn 2016 presents:
Exhibition “Welcome me Estonia. Добро пожаловать мне в Эстонии. Tere tulemast mulle Eestis” will be opened at Rundum artist-run space (Pärnu mnt 154, courtyard building of the ARS House) on Tuesday 8 March at 18:00.

The LadyFest team has organised art workshops at the Vao refugee centre since November 2015. The series of workshops has been a process to get to know the Vao residents, make them feel welcome and offer opportunities for self-expression in different artistic media. The workshops brought the participants variance to their relatively isolated environment and created a situation for communicating and spending time together in an enriching and creative way. Our visits to the centre showed us that this was appreciated mostly by mothers whose daily life consists of looking after their underage children, cleaning and doing laundry. At the same time they don’t have any personal space because the temporary accommodation is shared in addition to family members also with strangers. The exhibition is the outcome of this process. It doesn’t use Vao residents as material for art, but rather offers them a platform for self-realisation and expression, for communicating among themselves and with others living in Estonia. The exhibition renders the lives of Vao residents visible in a direct and personal manner and unlike the mainstream media does it on their terms. This allows us to see them not as intruders but as human beings and hopefully make the Estonian people become more considerate towards the asylum seekers and promote fair treatment of minorities.
The workshops took place in cooperation with the Accommodation Centre for Asylum Seekers (Vao Centre).

Exhibition participants: Ahmed from Egypt, Irina from Ukraine, Maret from Ingushetia, Olga and Mira from Ukraine, Qeta from Georgia, Sattar Ilyas from Balochistan, Sonia from Dagestan, Zahra from Afghanistan and Umar Saleem from Pakistan.

Exhibition and workshop organisers: Minna Hint, Mari-Leen Kiipli, Pire Sova and Killu Sukmit.

The vernissage will take place together with the opening of LadyFest Tallinn 2016 at Rundum artist-run space on Tuesday 8 March at 18:00. The vernissage will be accompanied by an informal discussion panel.

The exhibited art works are for sale with all the revenue going to the respective author in full.

During the vernissage Vao residents will offer for purchase home-made dishes with the revenue going directly to the cook. Please remember to bring cash.

NB! We kindly ask you not to take any photos, film or record sound during the opening.

Exhibition opening times:
8 March – 20 March 2016
Tue–Sun 13:00–18:00
Wed (9 March) 13:00–17:30

Exhibition is supported by: Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Council of the Gambling Tax
Rundum is supported by Ministry of Culture of Estonia

Thanks: Vao Centre, Jana Selesneva, Pille Õnnepalu, Lilli-Krõõt Repnau, Liisi Eelmaa, Camille Laurelli, Giulia, Taavi Timm, Kirill Tulin, Mattias Agabus, Katrin Essenson, Berit Renser, Riinu Rahuoja, Enli and Tarmo Kiipli, Martin Rünk

More info:
www.ladyfest.ee
www.facebook.com/ladyfesttln
www.rundumspace.com
www.facebook.com/rundumspace

On Friday 11 March Tartmus will open the international group exhibition “On Disappearing And For Vanishing”.

Participating artists: Susanne Bürner, Kris Lemsalu, Mikk Madisson, Ivan Moudov, Rabih Mroué, Hito Steyerl, Laivi, Danila Tkachenko and Ivar Veermäe

Curator: Sten Ojavee

On Friday 11 March Tartmus will open the international group exhibition “On Disappearing And For Vanishing”. Works by nine contemporary artists will be shown, all in one way or another dealing with the theme of disappearance from present-day society. The aim of the exhibition is to discover the aspects that facilitate the disappearance of a person and to offer the viewer different approaches to the beauty and the tragedy of vanishing. The exhibition will remain open until 29 May.

There are good and bad reasons for disappearing from society and there are better and worse ways to do it. This exhibition looks at the reasons for disappearance (why people decide to disappear) and the various methods of achieving it. Most disappearances have been shadowed by negative and tragic events that are then broadcast through the media. In parallel with these events, the topic of escaping is also considered, with its aim of leaving a bad situation and striving for a more fulfilling life.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a publication that works as a guide, containing an introduction to the exhibition and essays explaining the works. The 32-page Estonian and English booklet was edited by Sten Ojavee, and the graphic designer of both the exhibition and the booklet is Viktor Gurov. For visitors the publication is free.

On 14 April, the survival instructor Erki Vaikre will talk about the possibilities of disappearing from Estonian society and the means of surviving. Vaikre will be interviewed by the curator, Sten Ojavee. Guided tours and meetings with the artists will also take place.

Additional information on the exhibition’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1113376842047210/

Press photo: Documentation of the work Teleporting Machine by Ivan Moudov. Photo: Alexander Gerganov

Exhibition design and graphic design: Viktor Gurov

Exhibition team: Marika Agu, Nele Ambos, Rael Artel, Karl Feigenbaum, Margus Joonsalu, Aap Kirsel, Julia Polujanenkova, Kristel Sibul, Ago Teedema and Urmo Teekivi

Lenders: Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Hamburg; Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven; Temnikova & Kasela Gallery, Tallinn

Supporter: Cultural Endowment of Estonia

Special thanks: Retro-Boho-Vintage Stuudio

Thanks: Markus Åström, Christiane Berndes, Virginija Januskevičiūtė, Tartu Art House, Martin Luiga, Rein Muuluka, Valerie Oleynik, AS Retent, Constanza Zähringer, Airi Triisberg and Marcia Vissers

Additional information:
Sten Ojavee
Coordinator of the Exhibition Department
Phone: 00372 5881 7802
Email: sten@tartmus.ee

TARTMUS
Tartu Art Museum
Raekoja plats 18
Tartu, Estonia
Thu 11–21
www.tartmus.ee
www.facebook.com/tartmus
www.instagram.com/tartmus

Jaan Toomik
First Slumber
Art Hall Gallery
4 March – 3 April 2016
After the solo exhibition at the Temnikova and Kasela Gallery that ended in January, in which he snickered about the beauty of aging, Jaan Toomik now steps into the madness of the outside world, which he drags onto a home yard decorated with an idol enthroned on a sawing block and a log that is growing out an axe handle.
Each of Jaan Toomik’s exhibitions is realised in a rhythm and context that is his alone, according to his logic and in a light focused by him. While the interrelation of the artist’s works and message may seem disconnected and uneven to the viewer, it is the next exhibition that reveals the continuity and meaning. And, as Hanno Soans notes, the fact something very significant* is present in the artist’s discontinuity is meaningful. His honesty in the documentation of himself as a place of reflection (Alina Astrova’s astute expression)** is comprised of a large number of premonitions and seemingly irrational connections, which whip both the artist and the interpreters of his work toward ever greater precision. Toomik’s ability is not only to capture and halt feeling and thought, but he has the power to actuate and start them up. The latter is much greater than the intimacy that is visible on the surface. It is the unformulated engine that moves all of us. So who can say they are not affected?
This exhibition continues the characteristic feature of Toomik’s recent exhibitions: alongside the dark and dull colour combinations typical of the artist, we see explosive paintings borne by the intensity of orange and violet. Compared to a fear of the unknown and longing for intimacy that immediately gets under your skin, there is a delayed inevitability and inescapability to the brightness of these paintings. This inevitability has the power to wake people from their slumber and the ability to help the set up the next frame of a long film that talks about life. About life, which as long as it is ticking, is always a sequel that becomes an image.
*Hanno Soans. Elu surmasuunaline voolus. Sirp, 18 December.2015
**Alina Astrova’s press release for Jaan Toomik’s exhibition Smells Like Old Men’s Spirit at the Temnikova and Kasela Gallery 5 November 2015 – 9 January 2016
Art Hall Gallery
4 March – 3 April 2016
Vabaduse väljak 6
Wed-Sun 12 noon to 6 p.m., free
www.kunstihoone.ee
More information:
Jaan Toomik – jaantoomik@gmail.com
Press release compiled by:
Tamara Luuk
tamara@kunstihoone.ee

The Open Day at the Estonian Academy of Arts will take place on March 24, 2016 from 10am-6pm. If you are a foreign student and need guidance in English, please contact admissions@artun.ee to register for a tour.  The programme is posted in Estonian here: https://www.artun.ee/x/avatuduksed/kava/