Tuukka Kaila Artist Talk on 9th of April at 18.00

Tuesday, 9th of April at 18.00 Finnish artist Tuukka Kaila will hold a public presentation of his work in room A202 at the Estonian Academy of Arts.

Tuukka Kaila (b. 1975) is a Helsinki-based artist working at the intersection of visual art, research and publishing. Since the late 90’s, Kaila has been actively involved in independent publishing, artist-run spaces and the cultivation of other forms of self-organized cultural production taking place outside of and occasionally overlapping with the institutional. Through various initiatives such as Numero Zine (1998-2004), Värinä darkroom co-op (2002-), Myymälä2 gallery (2003-), Bookies publishing event (2012-), Vallilan risopaja micro press (2017-) and Rooftop imprint (2017-), Kaila’s practice has consistently gravitated towards enabling a shared learning experience through participation and placing the means of artistic production and distribution at the hands of artists.

Kaila’s practice often materializes as photographs, texts and public events. Kaila’s recent works find their point of departure in questions concerning the production of knowledge. The works evolve organically through the use of a wide variety of artistic forms and epistemic strategies from dialogue to practice-based research to darkroom experimentation and printed matter.

Tukka Kaila was invited to Tallinn on behalf of the Department of Photography of Estonian Academy of Arts. During April 8–12, he is giving a workshop on analogue colour photography printing.

Unusual landscapes inspiring architecture: Open Lecture by Austris Mailītis

The next lecturer of the Open Lecture Series this spring will be Latvia architect Austris Mailītis, one of the most original thinkers of the new generation from the Baltics. Mailītis will be stepping on the stage of the main auditorium of the new EKA building on the 11th of April at 6 pm to talk about unusual landscapes and cultural context that has inspired his own work, introducing among others, the Shaolin Flying Monks Temple as well as the Latvian National Open-air Stage project.

Mailītis’ portfolio includes several unique art and architecture projects, including the Latvian pavilion at the Expo 2010 in Shanghai and the Latvian National Open-air Stage – the biggest open air stage in the world. During recent years, Mailītis designed the Latvian national pavilions at the 55th and 56th Venice Art Biennale and worked on a unique building for levitation – Shaolin Flying Monks Temple in China. In 2011, he was awarded Latvian national architecture award for his contribution to the development of Latvian architecture. In 2014, his work was nominated for EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture, Mies van der Rohe Award 2015 for the temporary pavilion designed for Esplanade park in Riga to mark the city’s year as the European Capital of Culture in 2014.

His architecture studio Mailitis Architects is based in Riga. In 2017, Mailitis Architects received the the Latvian Architecture Award for Shaolin Flying Monks Temple in China. At the moment, Mailitis Architects’ focus is on the reconstruction of the Open-air Stage in Mežaparks.

The architecture and urban design department of the Estonian Academy of Arts has curated the Open Lectures on Architecture series since 2012 – each year, a dozen architects, urbanists, both practicing as well as academics, introduce their work and field of research to the audience in Tallinn. All lectures are in English, free and open to everyone.

The series is funded by the Estonian Cultural Endowment.
Curators: Sille Pihlak, Johan Tali
www.avatudloengud.ee
https://www.facebook.com/EKAarhitektuur/

All design enthusiasts are welcome to an open lecture by Dr. Jonathan Ventura on Tuesday, April 16, at 4 pm at Estonian Academy of Arts room A301. The guest researcher at the Royal College of Art, Helen Hamlyn Center for Design Center, focuses mainly on social and medical design, design theories and methodology, spatial and urban design, visual and material culture, and applied anthropology. In the open design lecture at EKA, he gives an introductory overview of contemporary design theory.

Design is rapidly becoming much more than an amalgam of history, practice and theory, yet as a defined sub-discipline, design theory is yet to reach its full potential. Furthermore, the schism between design theoreticians, historians and practitioners should be overcome to offer a more holistic approach. In this lecture/workshop, I wish to elaborate on the potential of teaching and practicing design as a social and material language. Moving forward from classic semiotic theories, using hermeneutics as a platform to shape design differently will help in the integration of history, practice and theory.

In this innovative outline, I see the designer not as a problem-solver, nor a “mere” translator or mediator, but rather as an active interpreter and maker of vehicles of meanings that, for example, denote and signify marital or social status,  manifest ideas, refer to previous styles of design, and symbolize their zeitgeist Accordingly, this lecture or workshop will present the semantic, referential, or expressive qualities of design objects, and of design objects that interpret their surroundings or lend themselves to interpretations within hermeneutic circles, thus generating visual-material languages.

Though design is a ubiquitous ontological and aesthetic phenomenon, and a flourishing practical discipline that is broadly taught in the academia, and while design history has developed into a respected discipline—the philosophy of design is still in its early stages. Design methodologies have been outlined and discussed. However, the long-lasting segregation between the various sub-disciplines of design, coupled with an inherent division between the philosophy of design and its practice and history cripple the overall reach of design research. Additionally, design has been sometimes considered to be a tool for devising aesthetic packaging meant for the enhancement of consumerism. In the light of global anti-consumerism, economic crises and socio-cultural changes, the designer’s role in society is starting to change.

Shifting our definition of the practice of design from semiotics to interpretation, or more broadly and accurately to design hermeneutics hold great potential to both research and pedagogy. For example, through redefining the act of prosthetic design transforms the designer to a physical interpreter, redefining the patient’s body. Thus, integrating practice and theory will help us create better-suited lessons to our complex reality.

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https://hadassah.academia.edu/JonathanVentura

Dr. Jonathan Ventura is currently researching the multilayered world of the industrial designer, focusing on medical and social design vis-à-vis applied anthropology. He is a visiting research fellow at the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art in London. He has completed a post-doctorate at the RCA and presented his PhD dealing with anthropological dimensions of industrial design, in a joint program of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem (the Department of Sociology and Anthropology) and Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design Jerusalem (the Department of Industrial Design). He teaches at the Department of Inclusive Design at Hadassah Academic College Jerusalem and at the Design Graduate Program at Shenkar College in Ramat Gan. Jonathan focuses mainly on social and medical design, design theories and methodologies, theories of space and urbanity, visual and material culture and applied anthropology.

From March 29 to April 18 at Art Gallery PUTTI is going to be ESTONISHING!

Estonian contemporary jewelry artists will exhibit their artwork at the group exhibition FOGSPEAK / UDUJUTT

The dense fog reduces visibility but strengthens beauty. It warns our insecurities but opens new perspectives. Fog is volatile though tangible. It allows us to feel the ethereal un gives us space to breath. Gray-toned verticals and foggy conversations will be created by a group of contemporary jewellery artists from Estonia at Art gallery PUTTI.

ESTONISHING!: 13 Estonian artists with a collective national identity background, folk traditions and history, yet they all are so distinct from one another – each with their own individual identity and character. They are like a metaphor that unifies discrete individualists, each with his or her own signature style. The only true thing that unites them is their desire to unlock their own imaginative world using jewellery as the key.

Tanel Veenre: ‘Our artisan culture is rooted in the forest. It sounds simple, but it is exactly in this feature that there is magic. The archaic yet clean wooden style is at the base of all abstraction. There is no need for noise here; whispers are loud enough.’ Estonian is the only language in the world in which the word for jewellery and sincerity is one and the same – EHE.

Thomas Cohn, a prominent Brazilian gallerist representing Galeria Thomas Cohn in San Paolo, as a bright meteor came to Tallinn to see, get to know the contemporary Estonian jewellery he had heard about. Falling in love with it, he arranged to bring it back to Brazil. Galeria Thomas Cohn premiered the ESTONISHING! jewellery exhibition at Schmuck 2016, the contemporary art jewellery event at the Munich International Skilled Trades Fair.

When asked about the title of the exhibition, Tanel Veenre, its curator, explains: ‘We had come up with several ideas, but then Thomas suggested ESTONISHING! It seemed the best fit because it was immediately clear that the participating artists came from Estonia, plus, a word written in the wrong way instinctively draws attention.’

At the core of the group are two pillars of contemporary Estonian art: Kadri Mälk, internationally renowned jewellery artist and a professor in the Jewellery Department of the Estonian Academy of Arts; and Tanel Veenre, the collective’s mouthpiece, who is also a professor in the Faculty of Design at the Estonian Academy of Arts as well as a photographer, lecturer, and member of many international exhibitions.

Each artist showing work in the exhibition is one of a kind. The artists are both united and contrasting at the same time. When looking at the jewellery that they have created, one senses that when making their pieces, these artists focus on spiritual qualities; the works on view have an introverted quality, perhaps even a touch of darkness to them – features that, just like a fixation on details, are so very characteristic of Northern peoples.

People speak about spiritual endeavors, the wish to be active outside the realm of physical reality. The ability to create noise and scraps while retaining a clear surface. The closeness of nature, the sensitivity of a fingerprint, and even if your ears are not within your field of vision, you cannot escape them.

A piece of contemporary jewellery illustrates a feeling of magic and temptation; much like a cult, nature is an intrinsic part of contemporary jewellery. It is safe to say that, having attracted the attention of the world, the jewellery artists of today’s Estonia form the foundation of the contemporary art jewellery platform. Of course, it is impossible to completely abandon form and context, yet make no mistake – an artist creates not only objects, but also the space for communication between the artwork and the person.

Exhibitions Curators:

Thomas Cohn 1934-2018;

Tanel Veenre

Supporters: Estonian Cultural Foundation

Participants: Sofia Hallik, Nils Hint, Piret Hirv, Julia Maria Künnap, Kristiina Laurits, Eve Margus-Villems, Kadri Mälk, Maarja Niinemägi, Villu Plink, Darja Popolitova, Ketli Tiitsar, Maria Valdma, Tanel Veenre.

EKA Gallery hosts two annual calls for international and national artists. We are now seeking proposals for solo and curatorial exhibitions, performances, events and workshops. EKA Gallery space (Põhja puistee 7) is rent-free.

Submission deadline is April 21, 2019. Please include all the required materials in the e-mail attachment as a zip-file. Send your proposals to eka.galerii@artun.ee.

Application form: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bWUKVRPM5YU8bnQSYIqHTHtdNJN-If8s

A jury reviews all applications. The application is accepted if it is submitted by the required deadline, all fields of the form are filled and all the required materials are attached.

Additional information:
Pire Sova
eka.galerii@artun.ee
+372 55944887

The Hall of Fame of the SIIL Prize 2019 will be opened in Showcase gallery (at EKKM) at 5pm on April 4th, 2019.

Artist group SIIL launches the contemporary art award – SIIL Prize. First nominees for the prize are Johannes Luik and Nele Tiidelepp. Both artist are working in the field of installation and their artwork was exhibited in the new project space called Vent Space. The winner will be found out as a result of popular vote: every visitor had the opportunity to leave the name of their favourite artist in the ballot box.

The winner will be awarded the golden SIIL and crowned with the eternal glory and fame, also, his/her name will be carved into stone. The stone with the winner’s name will always commemorate the remarkable event on the wall of the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia.

Johannes Luik (b. 1988) focuses on the subjective describing of impressions and spaces in his artist’s practice. His artwork acquires form in various media, however always relating to space while creating a clean whole. Luik studies the subjective experiencing of materials, places, time and memories.

Nele Tiidelepp (b. 1998) artist’s practice expresses essential nudity, self-reflection, self-irony, opposition of darkness and light both in the direct and metaphorical sense, and poetry (of space). The recurrent characteristic of her work lies in the analysis of herself as a young woman and young artist.

What if we re-designed interfaces to be tangible and beyond digital screens?

The Expo takes place in the EKA lobby, ground floor (Põhja pst 7). The exhibition opens at 10:00, welcome words, presentations and tours will be held at 18:00, and the day will be finished with DJs and party at 19:00. Snacks provided, good company available, great memories guaranteed.

Get surprised by a bench. Play a game that connects you with other people (literally). Send sweet compliments to co-workers. Go to sleep easily with the help of a nifty phone charger. Send physical compliments to a chef at a restaurant. Or, learn colors—all 110 of them.

Come, touch and experience the working prototypes of all these ideas, get inspired and meet the IxD.ma team!

IxD.ma is an international MA program in Interaction Design at the Estonian Academy of Arts (http://ixd.ma/) and this exhibition is the result of the Tangible Design project led by Ottavio Cambieri and Anna Jõgi.

Infinite Life Gallery’s first exhibition „Binding Matter” will be open from the Thursday, March 28 at 6pm at LVLup! Museum. Infinite Life Gallery is LVLup! video game museum’s side project, located in ARS Art Factory. The exhibition will remain open until April 21.

Textile artists group exhibition „Binding Matter” observes the nature and meaning of materials. Balancing on the borders of textile, design and art, the participating artists discover the connections, features and meanings between different fibers and substances. The exhibition focuses on experiments and combinations of materials, through which modern materially overloaded world is being critically rethought.

Participating artists: Ingrid Helena Pajo, Katarina Kruus, Ann Müürsepp, Frank Abner ja Triin Talts. They’ve been brought together by studies at the Estonian Academy of Arts textile and product design departments, whilst sharing a common interest in environmentally friendly and sustainable art.

Exhibition is open until April 21, at LVLup! Museum opening times:
Tue–Thu 15–20; Fri-Sat 15–22; Sun 15–18
https://www.facebook.com/lvlupmuseum/
Pärnu maantee 154, 11317

Curators: Laura Elisabeth Konsand, Ingrid Helena Pajo
LVLup! team: Patrick Zavadskis, Camille Laurelli, Sigrid Liira, Anneli Kripsaar

Thu, 28.03 – Sat, 30.03

Light and sound installations

The light and sound installations made by the students of EKA under the umbrella title “Time as Light” provide access to the lighted spaces uniting scenarios of the past and future. The students’ installations were created under the guidance of sculptor Elo Liiv. In addition to the scenic sunsets, in Noblessner one can enjoy a wonderful show of light and shadows at dawn during TMW.

Students: Silvia Ilves, Henri Kaarel Luht, Merilin Põldsam, Kati Masonry, Elis Rumma, Rebeka Vaino, Eliise Saar, Klarika Mäeots-Uustal, Mati Uust, Elisabeth Juusu, Joonas Timmi, Moonika Mällo, Johanna Põldemaa, Annika Ülejõe, Karl Kristian Kits.

There is opportunity to meet students and artists at the opening of the exhibition on March 28 at 21:00. The light installations remain open only on three nights, and on Sunday, Noblessner’s port city is all the same.