Exhibitions

NITHIKUL NIMKULRAT The White Forest
20. – 30.05. 2016
Hop Gallery
Tallinn
Hobusepea 2
On Thursday 19th May at 17.00, the opening of Nithikul Nimkulrat’s exhibition “White Forest” will be held.
The growing of “The White Forest” began in July 2008 in in Reykjavik, Iceland when Nithikul was an artist-in-residence at the Association of Icelandic Visual Artists (SÍM). Travelling around the country and experiencing Iceland’s wonderful landscape to seek inspiration, a question occurred to her mind: Why is Iceland treeless? Unlike Iceland, Finland – a country locating in the same continent as Iceland – has prosperous forests that surround people’s everyday life. As a textile artist and a designer who had lived in Finland for over a decade at that time, Nithikul was fascinated by it. Having researched this topic further, she found that Iceland was trying to revive their forests, but due to strong wind and little sunshine, trees grew extremely slowly (only 5cm a year). To contribute to their mission conceptually, “The Birch Tree” was made using paper string, a product of Finnish forests, to represent the beginning stage of growing trees or the becomingness of Iceland’s forests. After two years spent to complete “The Birch Tree”, Nithikul has continued growing a forest.
Since then, “The White Forest” has kept growing slowly. The slow growing gives an environmental message – although the process of growing “The White Forest” requires tremendous time and patience, to grow an actual forest can take much longer time, greater efforts and collective contribution.
“The White Forest” has been exhibited in Berlin (2012) and London (2013). It is now shown in Tallinn, the city in which it is currently being grown.
Nithikul Nimkulrat is Professor of Textile Design and Head of Department of Textile Design at the Estonian Academy of Art. Nithikul received a Doctor of Arts (2009) and a Master of Arts (2002) from Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture (Finland) and a Bachelor in Industrial Design (1997) from Chulalongkorn University (Thailand). For over a decade, she has exhibited her worked internationally, and has worked as a researcher and an educator in universities in Finland, UK and now Estonia.
Thanks: Piret Valk.
The exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
Hop Gallery exhibitions supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

Raja Spring Show
May 6 – 8, 2016

Opening: May 6th, 6PM

Department of Installation and Sculpture, Estonian Academy of Arts, Raja 11A (bus 23, Trummi stop).

The periphery of EAA, the department of Installation and Sculpture, is opening its doors and studios to show, in addition to everything else that’s exciting, the freshest artworks. To add more to the excitement, another Young Sculptor’s Prize is given out.

Participating artists:

Art Nõukas
Billy Sassi
David Wittinghofer
Harry Maberly
Jakob Tyroller
Jenny Grönholm
Kadi-Maarja Võsu
Karl Johanson
Katrin Enni
Kristin Reiman
Laurien Bachmann
Madlen Hirtentreu
Marti Kikojan
Rosa-Violetta Grötsch
Triinu-Liis Rahe

The opening is followed up by a party at 10PM!
https://www.facebook.com/events/634991099990054/

How to get here on friday!
Take Bus 23: http://soiduplaan.tallinn.ee/#bus/23/b-a/12402-1/map/en
or Bus 3: http://soiduplaan.tallinn.ee/#trol/3/b-a/21206-3/map or
or Bus 36: http://soiduplaan.tallinn.ee/#bus/36/b-a/map…
—
RAJA SPRING PARTY
6TH OF MAY 22.00

We would like to invite you all to join us on FRIDAY for the installation- and sculpture department’s SPRING PARTY, wich is a followup to the previously opened Spring Exhibition.
We have a PING-PONG table!! And OPEN GRILL/fireplaces, where you can weather cook your food on or cook yourself beside it (vegetarian, and meat separately). We advise you to load your store-carts full as soon as possible, ’cause the evening promises to be long and fun! All your thirst needs, and dreams will be satisfied by our POP-UP BAR, where you can find everything you need for toasting, comforting, or celebrating!
Music is taken care of by:
Eleonora Šljanda
Mihkel Maripuu
Antti Mäss
Katja Adrikova
Ellen Vene
Nikolajev

The party starts at 10PM, but everyone who will be coming for the Spring Exhibition opening, will be entertained, don’t you worry! No need to run, we won’t bite!

The weather will be nice! We installed the Sun, just come!
Department of Installation and Sculpture, Estonian Academy of Arts, Raja 11A (bus 23, Trummi stop, 24A Raja stop, also trolley nr 3 Keemia stop). We added the map with links to the bus schedules in the discussion of the event. Go check it out if you’re confused!

More information about the Raja Spring Show here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1809848455903008/

For Art Brussels 2016 the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM), presents a reconstruction and a reinterpretation of Anu Vahtra’s site-specific installation 17,9°. The installation was originally realised for the III Artishok Biennale (curated by Liisa Kaljula, 2012) and rebuilt for the exhibition Feeling Queezy?! (curated by Rebeka Põldsam, 2014) in the EKKM.
It employs the most peculiar space of the museum, which is situated in the former transportation bridge that has a 17,9-degree angle with the ground, therefore holding a strong physical presence by default. However, the work manifests itself when the viewer is confronted with his/her own perception of the space – the significance lies not in learning what’s depicted on the image that hangs in the middle of the room, but in realising that the frame is hanging (seemingly) at an angle. By bringing a section of the above described space as a 1:1 scale model into the art fair context we allow ourselves and the audience to explore the potentialities for further interpretation and to introduce the museum through the representation of its spatial characteristics.
The installation is accompanied by an essay written by the EAA lecturer, architecture historian and critic Ingrid Ruudi in a publication designed by the EAA Graphic Design Associate Professor Indrek Sirkel, published on the occasion of Art Brussels 2016 in collaboration with Lugemik.
A wider event programme coordinated by the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center (ECADC) will take place in conjunction with Art Brussels and the international audiences have the opportunity to get acquainted with the work of many former Köler Prize nominees and laureates: Flo Kasearu and Visible Solutions LLC (Temnikova & Kasela Gallery at Art Brussels), Marge Monko (Ani Molnár Gallery at Art Brussels and Lugemik at Poppositions alternative art fair), Paul Kuimet (solo exhibition at the center for contemporary photography Contretype).
Anu Vahtra is an emerging young Estonian artist who is renowned for her artistic approach to site-specific space-oriented problematics and for the diligent methods of articulating them. Her installations, which often include the medium of photography, capture the surrounding space into itself, making the site become both the subject and the physical form of the artwork. Furthermore, she is one of the founders of Lugemik Publishing and Bookshop, and is also the winner of Köler Prize 2015 grand prix.
The Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM) is a self-established non-profit initiative, that situates itself somewhere between official state-run institutions and artist-run-do-it-yourself venues. It is an unconventional concept of a contemporary art museum that works towards producing, exhibiting, collecting and popularizing local and international contemporary art while altering the prevailing working methods of established art institutions. It is a tool of self-establishment for younger generation artists, curators and art students. EKKM was founded by Anders Härm, Elin Kard, Neeme Külm, and Marco Laimre in late 2006. Since 2016 it is run by Marten Esko and Johannes Säre who joined the team in 2011.
EKKM’s participation at Art Brussels is supported by: Estonian Ministry of Culture, Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center, European Regional Development Fund, Government Office of Estonia, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Draka Keila Cabels AS, Lugemik
Thank you: Dénes Farkas, Kadri Villand, Mihkel Säre, Raivo Väliste, Raivo Plado
Art Brussels 2016
Tour & Taxis
Avenue du Port 86c, Brussels
www.artbrussels.com
EKKM in booth F5
Preview: 21 April, 11 am – 5 pm
Vernissage: 21 April, 5 pm – 10 pm
Open: 22 April to 24 April, 11 am – 7 pm
info@ekkm.ee
www.ekkm.ee
www.anuvahtra.com

Lugemik Publishing is participating at Poppositions, an alternative art fair taking place for the fifth time in Brussels during 21–24 April. Making its premiere at the fair is the performance “Don’t Wind It Up, Turn It On” by the Estonian artist Marge Monko, as well as the publication of the same name.
Monko’s performance “Don’t Wind It Up, Turn It On” is based on the construction of desire used in advertising photography – a genre in which stylistic means have changed over time, but its semantic meaning has always remained the same. Two actors – female and male – read sentences from different wrist watch advertisements from the 1970s and 1980s, and re-enact the compositions of hands used in these advertisements.
“Don’t Wind It Up, Turn It On” is Monko’s first performance piece which will be performed at Poppositions once a day by choreographers Kathryn Vickers and Sandy Williams, technical assistance is provided by Isjtar. The performance is accompanied by a photographic series and a publication which contains the complete script of the performance as well as the re-staged photographs of the used advertisements. The book is designed by Indrek Sirkel, and it is the third publication by Marge Monko published by Lugemik.
Lugemik’s first time participation at an art fair is curated by Laura Toots, whose project was selected by an international jury. A total of 25 exhibitors of different galleries and project spaces with more than 50 artists from 21 different countries are participating at the fair.
In addition, a selection of Lugemik’s publications will be on display during Poppositions in the Reading Room organized by La Houle project space. Books by the following artists are presented: Tuukka Kaila, Mari Laanemets, Paul Kuimet, Marge Monko, Tõnis Saadoja, Anu Vahtra, Johan Tali, Johanna Jõekalda, Siim Tuksam, Flo Kasearu, kadrinoormets, Anna-Stina Treumund and Merike Estna.
Poppositions is one of the most progressive alternative art fairs in Europe introducing non-profit initiatives next to commercial galleries and providing a platform for new artists’ positions. Poppositions will take place at the same time as Art Brussels, one of the largest art fairs in Europe, where Marge Monko’s work is also exhibited by Ani Molnar Gallery.
Marge Monko (born 1976) is an artist living and working in Tallinn, Estonia. Monko works with photography, video and installation. Most of her works have a link to historical images and are influenced by theories of psychoanalysis, feminism and visual culture. Monko has had solo exhibitions at galleries in Tallinn, Helsinki and Budapest, and in the Museum of Modern Art, Vienna (Mumok). She has participated in a number of group exhibitions in Estonia and abroad. In 2012, she was awarded the Henkel.Art.Award for Eastern and Central European artists. During 2013–2014, she took part in the studio programme at HISK (Higher Institute for Fine Arts), in Ghent, Belgium. In 2015 she was selected for a residency at ISCP (International Studio & Curatorial Program) in New York.
Lugemik is an independent publishing initiative based in Tallinn, Estonia, founded in 2010 by graphic designer Indrek Sirkel and artist Anu Vahtra. Lugemik publishes books and other printed matter, working closely together with artists, writers, designers, printers in every step of the publishing process. In 2013 Lugemik opened a bookshop on the premises of Contemporary Art Museum Estonia (EKKM) and is currently working on opening a new bookshop in collaboration with Tallinn Art Hall. In 2015 Lugemik was joined by the curator and artist Laura Toots for extended activities with artists beyond publishing projects.
Lugemik’s and Marge Monko’s participation at Poppositions is supported by: Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center, Estonian Ministry of Culture, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, European Regional Development Fund, Government Office of Estonia, Outset Estonia.
Lugemik and Marge Monko would like to thank: Oskar Unt, Maria Arusoo, Tom-Olaf Urb, Reimo Võsa-Tangsoo, Liisa Toots, Tiiu Parbus, Tõnis Saadoja, Alissa Nirgi, Fidelia Regina Randmäe, Peeter Kuimet, Paul Kuimet, Ingel Vaikla, A&G Kaubanduse AS, Kraam artist-run space.
Poppositions 2016
LaVallée, Rue Adolphe Lavallée 39, Brussels
Opening: 21 April 12:00–20:00
Opening times: 22–23 April 12:00–22:00; 24 April 12:00–18:00
Marge Monko’s performance: 21–23 April 18:30; 24 April 17:00
www.poppositions.com
www.margemonko.com
Press release by:
Lugemik Publishing
info@lugemik.ee
www.facebook.com/lugemik
www.lugemik.ee

Lugemik Publishing is participating in an experimental art book festival “One Thousand Books 2016”, 21–24 April in Copenhagen, Denmark. During the four-day festival a seminar on artists’ books and exhibition making will take place, also the exhibition “Manifolds” will open in Kunsthal Charlottenborg, remaining open until 15 May.
13 international publishers are invited to participate in the exhibition and to curate their own show based on one of their publications.
In cooperation with the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design (ETDM) Lugemik will present the book “Nobody Expected There Would Be Much Discussion About It”, compiled and designed by Ott Metusala. The book documents the design work of author’s grandmother Kirsti Metusala at the Tallinn Experimental Plant Estoplast, where she worked as a designer for 28 years (1964-1992). The book includes historical photo documentation of the Estoplast lamps which is accompanied by an interview with Kirsti Metusala, explaining her tasks and describing in detail the design process of the lamps, thus speaking about designer’s profession in Soviet Estonia. The book also contains an essay written by Kai Lobjakas, director of ETDM and curator of the design collection, discussing the Soviet Estonian design and the importance of the production of Estoplast factory in a broader context.
In the exhibition “Manifolds” the book is accompanied by an exposition consisting of Estoplast lamps, and the film “The Lights Come On”. For the exposition Lugemik and Ott Metusala will exchange eight Poul Henningsen lamps in the lobby, specially designed for Kunsthal Charlottenborg, for Estoplast lamps designed by Kirsti Metusala. In the exhibition space the book will be given context by the documentary “The Lights Come On” (1967, Estonian Television Company) by Jaak Mamers, which in a staged manner depicts the production process of the Estoplast factory.
The festival “One Thousand Books” is organised by the Danish publishers Lodret Vandret since 2013.
Ott Metusala (born 1988, Tallinn) is a graphic designer based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He graduated from the graphic design departments of both Estonian Academy of Arts and Gerrit Rietveld Academie. Currently his work involves music publishing, editorial projects and book designs, both self-initiated and commission based, in close collaboration with friends, artists and institutions. He has also taught in the graphic design department of Estonian Academy of Arts.
Lugemik is an independent publishing initiative based in Tallinn, Estonia, founded in 2010 by graphic designer Indrek Sirkel and artist Anu Vahtra. Lugemik publishes books and other printed matter, working closely together with artists, writers, designers, printers in every step of the publishing process. In 2013 Lugemik opened a bookshop on the premises of Contemporary Art Museum Estonia (EKKM) and is currently working on opening a new bookshop in collaboration with Tallinn Art Hall. In 2015 Lugemik was joined by the curator and artist Laura Toots for extended activities with artists beyond publishing projects.
The book is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Lugemik’s activities are supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture.
Festival “One Thousand Books”
21–24 April 2016
Kunsthal Charlottenborg
Exhibition “Manifolds”
23 April – 15 May 2016
Kunsthal Charlottenborg
www.onethousandbooks.org
www.metusala.ee
Press release by:
Lugemik Publishing
info@lugemik.ee
www.facebook.com/lugemik
www.lugemik.ee

Station
Printed textiles by Lylian Meister
In cooperation with: Katarina Meister, Johan Pajupuu
Space: Arhitektuuri- ja Disainigalerii, Pärnu mnt 6, Tallinn Time: April 20 to May 7, 2016
Opening April 20 at 5 pm
Railway and its stations as stopping points are on one hand parts of the rational transport system and on the other completely metaphysical landscapes where it is at the same time possible to cultivate your land or to leave for indeterminable distances. Actually while living in the railway station you could every day leave several times. For me as a city person owning a country railway station this feeling matters: on the other side of rails begin (or end) primeval forests, twice every day however civilisation arrives in full lights, the train to whose honour the old railway station rejuvenates and becomes urban micro-landscape with street lighting, cars and strange people. So far I have not got tired of admiring the arrival of the train, it gives rhythm to the life at station. The trains themselves are rhythm and repetition; I really hope that it never ends in my station. Like that I wanted to fix them on my printed textiles.
The trains of my exhibition are a development of drawings from the 1954 Soviet textbook of railways technical exploitation regulations; I found the textbook in the station. The station however is not only movement but also a stop. Black soil, broken stone roofs and gravel pit are there together with bird-song and train beat. All baby plants growing on the exhibition, including nettles will move from here to Tori flowerbeds and fields.
Production team: Mall Tamberg, Kuido Heinsoo, Guido Aasmaa, Marko Nautras, Erkki Kadarik, Lauri Lenk
Thanks: Maile Grünberg, Katrin Lehtjõe, Kristel Laurits, Kert Viiart, Piret Valk, Melani Joonas, Ann Jürjo, Laur Kivistik, Saarineni Maja, Textile and Graphic Fine Art departments of Estonian Academy of Arts
Extra thanks: Tori station has a 100 years layer of railway people activities. I feel connected to them and I am grateful to all previous station inhabitants for work done and on-going support.
Exhibition is supported by Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

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.