Katerina Sarapova “Mental Trap”

My idea was to reflect self-conditioning through staged photography, a state of being trapped by my thoughts and feelings where negative beliefs alarm negative emotions, which in turn affects the mind. A model’s moving body is captured in a studio with long exposure in order to highlight the inseparability of mental and physical health. A bright figure positioned in a dark background emphasizes the condition of being trapped and vulnerability.

I am exploring themes of intimacy, human connection and sexuality through my work. A portrait of this couple is part of an ongoing documentary photography series.

On Monday, April 18, at 4 pm, the Department of Textile Design of the Estonian Academy of Arts presents Katrin Kabun’s book “Archaically high-tech: Knowledge-based Use of Sheep Wool”

The book was born out of a practical need, a desire to help restore the historical and economic value of wool. 

The publication has been compiled by a textile designer and is intended primarily for students, designers, interior architects, but also for anyone interested in understanding the value of wool as a material, the continuous processes that take place in the wool fibre and the functional properties of wool that are the result of such processes and give reason to call wool a naturally high-tech fiber. The aim of the book is to explain in an easily understandable language what is happening in the wool fibre, how wool as a material interacts with the surrounding environment and thereby increase interest towards a wider and more conscious use of wool.

Author Katrin Kabun has been developing the possibilities and technology of the application of sheep wool since 2014 in the Department of Textile Design of the Estonian Academy of Arts. The study of wool is the subject of both her master’s and doctoral theses and is central to her studies with her students.

Publisher: The Estonian Academy of Arts Department of Textile Design

Author: Katrin Kabun

Scientific editor: Sander Õun

Content editor: Diana Tuulik

Language editor: Svea Aavik

Designer: Janika Vesberg

Illustrator: Laura Meelind

Photography: iStock, Shutterstock, Katrin Kabun, Gilleke Kopamees, Sandra Urvak 

SEM images: Valdek Mikli

English translation: OÜ Tritek

Print: Booksfactory

ISBN 978-9916-6-1951-3

Supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and the Estonian Academy of Arts 

OPEN LECTURE by Ariel Guersenzvaig
“The goods of design: towards professional ethics for designers”
Thursday, 14th of April at 4 p.m. (EKA, A-101)

SYNOPSIS

Despite its impact on society and on the world, the design profession lacks widespread ethical principles and frameworks for addressing ethical issues. Codes of ethics, however useful to prompt discussions, rarely go beyond generalities as preventing harms or respecting human rights. In this talk I will propose a different approach based on the cultivation of ethics from within the practice, and will explore the urgent need for a broad design professional ethics that viably enables designers to deal with the challenges they face in their profession.

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Ariel Guersenzvaig is a design and technology ethicist and a professor of design at ELISAVA, Barcelona School of Design and Engineering. His main areas of research are, on the one hand, the ethical impact of machine intelligence on society, and, on the other hand, the ethics of professional design activity, which is the topic of his latest book ‘The Goods of Design: Professional Ethics for Designers’* (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021), which is also available in EKA library. He holds a PhD in Design Theory from the University of Southampton (UK), and an MA in Ethics from the University of Birmingham (UK).

Kullo Children’s Gallery is pleased to present “Veiled” – solo exhibition of new sculptural works by EKA contemporary art student Triin Türnpuu. 

The works are inspired by the story of the author’s son and are dedicated to visually impaired children.

Preview on April 13, 6 pm

“At the age of 10 months, our third child turned suddenly blind. We learned to live with it. After several successful and unsuccessful surgeries, he was fitted with artificial lenses at the age of four.

Some time ago, a decision had to be made – which upper secondary school to continue studying at. He got into the desired school, but when talking about the child’s visual impairments, it was suggested to choose another educational institution – it would be too much extra burden for teachers to deal with him. I realized that behind this attitude, above all, was the fear of not knowing what it means to teach a visually impaired child. Is it possible to reduce this fear so that no child is left behind in the future?”

The works made of old and previously used spectacle lenses allow people to enter the world of spectacle wearers for a while.

Thank you: Instrumentarium Optika OÜ, Kenomer OÜ, Kristaps Ancāns, Marko Odar, Katriin-Eliis Brecher, Gerlin Mets, Helina Niilo, Ingrid Teino, Kristel Ilmets, Kaire Kurg, Kaidi Varik

Triin Türnpuu has graduated from the Faculty of Design of the Estonian Academy of Arts with a degree in ceramics and is currently studying contemporary art in her master’s degree.

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First Year Students of the department of Photography exhibit their work in two showcases of Tallinn Old Town

One Another
Location: Suur-Karja 7, Suur-Karja 10
April 7 – May 19, 2022

One-photo-expositions by the first year students of the department of photography held in two showcases in the Old Town of Tallinn (Suur-Karja Str 7 and 10) serve as a part of the art project course held during the spring semester.

The objective of the course for each student was to communicate an intriguing theme and aesthetic preference with one photographic work. Together 11 different works can be seen in the showcases from April 7 to May 19; every Thursday two new photos will be exhibited.

Participating artists: Alina Birjuk, Ott Kattel, Saoirse McGarry, Cristiana Ortiga, Katerina Rothberg, Katerina Šarapova, Sonja Sutt, Inna Tarakanova, Emilia Tensing, Mia Tohver, Megan Wynne

Supervisors: Marge Monko, Reimo Võsa-Tangsoo

Graphic design: Emma Reim and Laura Tursk (2nd year students of the department of graphic design at the Estonian Academy of Arts)

Department of photography forwards its gratitude to Raido Nurmela from Hestia Hotels Group.

Exhibition is supported by Hestia Hotel Barons, department of photography at the Estonian Academy of Arts.

Exhibition schedule:

07.04–14.04 Emilia Tensing
14.04–21.04 Cristiana Ortiga, Katerina Sarapova
21.04–28.04 Alina Birjuk, Katerina Rothberg
28.04–05.05 Saoirse McGarry, Inna Tarakanova
05.05–12.05 Sonja Sutt, Megan Wynne
12.05-19.05 Ott Kattel, Mia Tohver

EMTA, TÜVKA, EKA diplomandide ja Tartu Uue Teatri koostöös valminud lavastus Miguel de Cervantese ainetel. Etendub Tartu Uuest Teatris.

“…on ühest ennenägematust ja ennekuulmatust seiklusest, mis juhtus siis, kui Jumal taganes oma kohalt ja don Quijote astus välja oma majast ning ei suutnud maailma enam ära tunda, ja teistest suurepärastest juhtumistest, mis väärivad mängimist ja mis juhtusid rõhujaid rõhututest lahutaval teel, mis võib-olla lõppeb seal, kus algab halastus.”

Lavastuse valmimisele on aidanud kaasa Eesti Rahva Muuseum, Genialistide Klubi ja Vanemuise Teater.

Monday, April 4, 16:30

EKA auditorium A101

Valentinas Klimašauskas will present his recent practice as an art researcher, curator, and writer while emphasising the critique of the art machinery in the age of manipulations.

Valentinas Klimašauskas is a curator and writer who is based in Vilnius, Lithuania. Together with João Laia he curated “The Endless Frontier”, the 14th Baltic Triennial at CAC Vilnius (2021). With Inga Lāce he curated “Saules Suns”, a solo exhibition by Daiga Grantina for the Latvian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale (2019). He is a curator at large at Springs.video, a moving image streaming platform that also serves as an educational and curatorial archive. Currently, he is also continuing his doctoral research at Vilnius Art Academy titled “A (self)portrait of a young artist in the style of institutional critique”.

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Valentinas Klimašauskas is in Tallinn on the invitation of Graphic Design MA and Contemporary Art MA programmes. The lecture is additionally hosted by KUNO network and can be joined also via Zoom 

Meeting ID: 978 6104 0017

Passcode: 352620

Exhibition Self-Portrait as a Dancer and a Revolutionary by Brit Pavelson and Cloe Jancis in Grenoble
1.04.2022

On 21 March, the duo show entitled Self-Portrait as a Dancer and a Revolutionary by Brit Pavelson and Cloe Jancis will open at the Galerie Showcase, Grenoble.

The exhibition playfully addresses topics such as women’s everyday roles and the spaces in which these roles are expressed. Together they offer metaphors, self-portraits and subtle jokes that are rooted in a woman’s point of view, using the outdated clichés to their advantage. What are the roles that permeate through the definition of a parent, a partner and an artist? How can we best cope with the emotional states that different roles make us feel? Which domestic practices are considered “feminine” and what is their social or artistic value?

The title of the exhibition refers to a false citation by the anarchist activist, feminist, writer and teacher Emma Goldman (1869–1940), which has achieved mythical status today: “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.” The sentence refers to Goldman’s reaction when she was criticised for dancing joyfully at parties, arguing that agitators should not engage in such frivolous activities. Goldman’s quote is eloquent because many phenomena or common practices are still today called “feminine,” which aims to deem them of lower value. Following Goldman’s example, contemporary women’s rights activists should not choose between dancing and revolution, everyday joys and political activism, but they should instead find individual ways to intertwine these worlds, empower themselves and others, and shift values.

Curators: Brigit Arop and Sigrid Liira
Graphic design: Elisabeth Juusu
English editor: Gepard OÜ

The exhibition takes place in three cities during 2022, starting at the Galerie Showcase (Place aux Herbes, 38000) in Grenoble, France. In summer, the exhibition will arrive in Tallinn and Võru, Estonia.

The exhibition is open 24/7 and will remain open until 15 May. More information here.

Sponsors: Pildikompanii
Special thanks: Camille Laurelli, Laura Kuusk, Koit Randmäe