Exhibitions

POSSIBLE WORLDS
EKA Billboard Gallery 3.03.–2.04.2025
Open 24/7, free

An exhibition by III year graphic design students displaing fragments of their graduation thesis projects.

Participants: Andres Alliksaar, Rasmus Einman, Anete Ots, Mette Mari Kaljas, Kätriin Reinart, Nelli Viisimaa, Filipp Rodtšenkov, Diana Tammets, Kasper Korsen, Hanna Marnat, Markus Laanisto, Lola Pärna, Ines Uudam, Martin Merirand, Rasmus Lukas, Marlene Schwindt

Supervisors: Ott Kagovere, Kert Viiart

Japanese Happiness. In search of the happiness of inner peace through aesthetic experiences

ARS Project Space
7-23 March 2025

Opening ceremony (by invitations only): 6 March 18:00 at Studio 98

Guided tours and workshops by appointment: Mon–Fri

Exhibition opening hours: Sat–Sun 12:00–18:00

 If there is one universal desire that connects humanity, it is the pursuit of happiness. Despite the challenges we face, our determination to seek joy never wanes. Around the globe, individuals explore various avenues in their quests for greater happiness, and there is much we can learn from one another. The exhibition Japanese Happiness – In search of the happiness of inner peace through aesthetic experiences invites visitors to discover new and often overlooked inspirations that enrich our lives. It highlights the profound relationship between aesthetics and happiness, a bond deeply embedded in Japanese culture. This immersive and sensory exhibition illuminates the connections between happiness and Japanese aesthetics through a curated selection of everyday items, design pieces, and works of art – raging from metal tools created with extreme attention to detail, as well as the uniform of the Tokyo public toilet cleaners made famous in Wim Wenders’ film Perfect Days.

The objects on display at the exhibition were selected 20 representatives of the fields of art, design, philosophy, cooking, Japanese studies, music, fiction, fashion, photography and typography from both Europe and Japan who are inspired by Japanese culture. The initiators of the exhibition are the Identity Foundation, which develops philosophical culture in Düsseldorf, and Philipp Teufel, professor emeritus of exhibition design at the Peter Behrens School of Art (PBSA). It is a traveling exhibition that first opened in the spring of 2024 at the Japanese Cultural Institute in Cologne. The design of the exhibition was completed in collaboration with the PBSA exhibition design and the interior architecture master’s students of the Estonian Academy of Arts. The exhibition design is both experimental and playful, radiates calmness and simplicity and evokes a wide variety of sensory impressions.

The exhibition in the ARS Project Space (Pärnu mnt 154) is open to the public on weekends: 8-9, 15-16 and 22-23 March from 12:00 to 18:00. On all other days, visits to the exhibition take place with pre-registered guided tours. The exhibition is accompanied by a daily programme of workshops, film evenings, lectures and discussion groups at ARS Project Space and EKA in cooperation with TTK University of Applied Sciences, the Japanese Cultural Society in Estonia and the Japanese Embassy in Estonia.

Information and registration: https://www.artun.ee/en/curricula/interior-architecture/japanese-happiness/side-programme/

Curator: Philipp Teufel

Exhibition team: Masayo Ave, Annika Kaldoja, Jüri Kermik, Veiko Liis, Ranvir Singh Sandhu, Rainer Zimmermann, Gregor Taul

Organisation: Department of Interior Architecture of the Estonian Academy of Arts in cooperation with TTK University of Applied Sciences, the Japanese Cultural Society in Estonia and the Japanese Embassy in Estonia

Supporters:

Identity Foundation, Estonian Artists’ Association, ARS Art Factory, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Academy of Arts, Erasmus+ Program

Text by Gregor Taul

Additional information:

Gregor Taul
Guest lecturer, EKA Interior Architecture Department
gregor.taul@artun.ee
+37255690456

 

EKA Department of Photography invites everybody to the screening of the film “Failed Emptiness” on March 5th at 18.00.
Duration: 66”
Location: A-101
A discussion with the film’s director Mika Taanila will follow after the screening.
______

“Failed emptiness” (2024) describes a three-week vacation in the middle of a heatwave. The protagonist prepares reports that begin to bother her more. The deeper she sinks into the report, the deeper she gets into herself.
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Mika Taanila (1965) is a filmmaker and visual artist based in Helsinki. Taanila’s works have been shown at major international group shows, such as La Biennale di Venezia (2017), Aichi Triennale (2013), Documenta (2012), Shanghai Biennale (2006), Berlin Biennale (2004), Manifesta (2002) and Istanbul Biennial (2001). Solo shows include Padiglione de l’Esprit Nouveau in Bologna (2020), EMMA Espoo (2018), Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki (2013–14), Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (2013), TENT, Rotterdam (2013), Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe (2008), Dazibao, Montréal (2007) and Migrosmuseum, Zurich (2005).

Taanila’s films have been screened at several international film festivals and special events including TIFF Toronto International Film Festival, IFFR Rotterdam, International Short Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand, Karlovy-Vary Film Festival, Midnight Sun Film Festival, CPH:DOX, IDFA Amsterdam, Oberhausen Kurzfilmtage, Austrian Filmmuseum, Cork Film Festival, ICA and Whitechapel Gallery in London. Ars Fennica Award 2015 was presented to Mika Taanila.

Facebook event

The annual Young Sculptor Award Exhibition 2025 of the EKA Sculpture and Installation Department, at the Estonian Museum of Contemporary Art (EKKM).

Participating artists: Yvette Bathgate, Bob Bicknell-Knight, Aurelia Grace Talmon, Liisa-Lota Jõeleht, Uku Jürgenson, Denis Kudrjašov, Nele Kurvits, Katariin Mudist, Daniil Musesovs, Rosa-Maria Nuutinen, Kati Saarits, Jake Shepherd, Sonja Sutt, Lea Joakim Svendby, Lume Tuum and Elo Vahtrik.

The aim of the Young Sculptor Award and the accompanying exhibition, which has been awarded since 2012, is to highlight and recognize the professional work of young artists working in sculpture and installation.

The laureates of the Young Sculptor Award 2025 are Kati Saarits, a master’s student of the EKA Craft Studies, and Katariin Mudist, a master’s student of EKA Contemporary Art, as well as Jake Shepherd and Yvette Bathgate, master’s students of EKa Contemporary Art.

Previous recipients of the Young Sculptor Award include Hanna Piksarv, Sten Saarits, Anna Mari Liivrand, Johannes Valdma, Rosa Violetta Grötsch, Johannes Luik, Siim Elmers, Sarah Nõmm, Junny Yeung and Mara Kirchberg and Sandra Ernits.

The exhibition is open until March 9.

Supported by the Estonian Academy of Arts, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

Opening 3rd March 2025, 6-9pm
Open from 4th – 6th March 2025, 3-9pm
The Monk’s Bunk Hostel, Lai 22, Tallinn

Artists: Bob Bicknell-Knight, Giulio Cusinato, Anastasiia Krapivina, Tonya Kroplya, Denis Kudrjasov, Olev Kuma, Fausta Norekaitė, Rosa-Maria Nuutinen, Anumai Raska, Nora Schmelter and Aidan Timmer

Organised by: Bob Bicknell-Knight and Fausta Norekaitė

Responding to its unusual location, Mapping Time is a group exhibition featuring new and previous works by local and international artists, all of which are currently studying on the Master of Contemporary Art program at the Estonian Academy of Arts in Tallinn. Hosted in the distinctive setting of The Monk’s Bunk Hostel, located in Tallinn’s Old Town, the exhibition explores themes related to ideas of the home, time, travelling and identity.

Aside from being a place that offers affordable accommodation, hostels are social spaces. The essence of a hostel lies in its ability to unite diverse individuals in one space, making it a perfect base for travellers seeking comfort and connection. The Monk’s Bunk Hostel is a unique place, not only because of its function today, but also because of the distinctive history of the building itself. Tracing its origin back to the Middle Ages, the building has undergone numerous transformations over time. Before becoming the home of the National Scientific Medical Library, in the mid-20th century, it housed the “Pluto” lacquer factory, and later, repurposed itself into a Republican Dispensary for dermatological and venereal diseases. The remaining structures of the building stand as a testament to the many roles it played over time and engages those that visit the hostel with its historic past.

Mapping Time draws inspiration from the transient nature of hostels themselves, but also the history of the building that it resides within. It seeks to explore how these spaces – often temporary, but profoundly impactful – mirror our experiences of change, transition, and an ever changing sense of belonging. The works included in Mapping Time engage with the past, whilst simultaneously contending with the business that currently resides within it, inviting viewers to question what it means to “belong” in a world that is constantly shifting, both physically and emotionally. As visitors, you are invited to explore the space and discover artworks in various locations around the building, both with the help of the map and guidelines on the floors and doors of participating rooms.

You are invited to the opening of Karlotta Lainväe’s exhibition “Where do I go when I follow the thread?” on February 20th at 18:00 at Uus Rada Gallery.

In the exhibition “Where do I go when I follow the thread?” I invite you to join me on my journey to unravel the secrets of the place I call home. The sea, the forest, the fields and the rocks, they all hold mystery and knowledge deep within. What parts of my family and ancestors are woven into this place and what do I carry forward? The sense of security shining from there is always with me, yet it is fragile and comes with the weight of responsibility to protect it all.

Karlotta Lainväe is an artist studying photography in EKA, in her work she focuses on the human search for security and belonging. She also examines how connections to history, nature, and rituals create a sense of safety that protects us yet remains fragile and easily lost. To bring her ideas to life, she uses photography, handcrafts and installations to create a visual world where viewers can reflect on their own internal and external sense of security.

Opening: 20.02 at 18:00

Exhibition open: 21.02 – 27.02 at 16:00 – 19:00

Uus Rada Gallery

DANCING WITH THE STARS!
EKA Billboard Gallery 3.02.–2.03.2025
Open 24/7, free
Opening: 3.02.25 at 5 pm

Dancing with the Stars! exhibition showcases the designed letters and the process of the class Typography I. During 14 weeks several exercises and experimentations were carried out, drawing was done both by hand and on the computer, using toilet paper, towels, foam and even a metal engraver.

While the first seven weeks were dedicated to experimentation and playing, the last seven focused on creating an entire alphabet and going through the letter design process. Vectorised letters were created, several of which were also made into working font files.

Students:
Simon Janson, Ryan Kaabel, Anni Kangur, Riste Sofie Käär, Jan-Markus Maasepp, Alina Maškina, Elisabeth Mägi, Berit Raun, Mattias Erik Tiik, Rasmus Tikerpe, Katariina Tõnismäe, Mark Albert Villand, Artjom Ševtšenko, Kätriin Reinart, Eline Cremers, Mira Keygnaert, Dennis Vugts

Supervisor:
Agnes Isabelle Veevo

The fonts can be downloaded for free from the SUVA Type Foundry website: suvatypefoundry.ee

We warmly invite you to the opening of the exhibition “This time, my client is Nature” on February 7 at 18:00 at Uus Rada.

What if nature were not just an inspiration but a client—one we must listen to, understand, and collaborate with? This exhibition brings together three artists—Phoebe , Wen Lin Wang and Andrea Gudiño —who each explore the connection between humans and nature through illustration, printing, animation and so on.

Moving from silent observation to active engagement, the exhibition invites visitors to tune into nature’s presence and consider how art can translate their messages. Through their works, the artists create a space where landscapes, flowers, beetles and natural elements are not just subjects but voices in a larger conversation.

Opening 07.02 18:00

Exhibition open: 07.-14.02 14:00-18:00

We look forward to seeing you!

EKA Experimental Forms Exhibition “Foam Futures” at Viru Keskus

 

“Foam Futures” is an experimental fashion forms exhibition by the fashion, textile, and accessory design students of the Estonian Academy of Arts. Under the guidance of fashion designer Liisi Eesmaa and artist Flo Kasearu, futuristic foam plastic characters have come to life and will take over the Viru Keskus Atrium starting February 4th.

 

The exhibition “Foam Futures” at Viru Keskus Atrium invites visitors to reflect on the impact of human-made synthetic materials on the environment. This artistic display, created by students of Estonian Academy of Arts , focuses on the journey of foam plastic – from industrial waste to a nature-hostile “life form” that poisons the environment and gains strength, creating post-apocalyptic landscapes.

 

The pieces on display were created during a month-long workshop, where packaging industry waste was transformed into unique sculptures. The students manipulated materials using cutting, bubbling, and molding techniques to create both futuristic and organic shapes. Their inspiration was drawn from nature – plants, fungal networks, and strange life forms – reflecting the conflict between human creation and the natural world.

“This exhibition is raw energy and an endless amount of work hours, resulting in these haunting, bubbling, and foaming creations. Like a shadowy-black colony of beings, drawn from the students’ subconscious and rosy dreams,” commented one of the workshop mentors, fashion designer Liisi Eesmaa. “Our goal is to shock just enough and test the boundaries – how large and how colorful does packaging waste in the urban landscape need to be for people to clearly realize that the only way forward is through material recycling. We are thrilled to do this in collaboration with the emerging generation – the talented students of the Estonian Academy of Arts,” said Kristel Martis, Marketing and Communications Manager of Viru Keskus.

 

“Foam Futures” does not offer answers, but urges visitors to ask: what happens to the waste we create? Do we only notice it when it directly disrupts our lives, or does it silently blend into nature, causing irreversible harm?

 

The exhibition’s interactive elements – touch walls and sound experiences – take visitors to the heart of the foam plastic and its transformed environment, helping them better understand the impact and longevity of materials in nature.

 

“The students created incredibly juicy and voluminous accessories! The raw material was delightfully fascinating, and while the process was as always challenging and labor-intensive, the final transformations of the material were incredibly rewarding!” said mentor Flo Kasearu.

 

The exhibition “Foam Futures” will be open at the Viru Keskus Atrium from February 4th to February 19th.

Admission is free.

 

*The synthetic PE (polyethylene foam) material widely used in the exhibition is recyclable with modern technology. After its “artistic life,” it can be shredded and converted back into granules, 70% of which can be reused to create new materials.

 

Event Supporters: VIRU, EKA, Viva-color, Digiprint, Reval Kondiiter, ETTeam Baltic OÜ, AS Norma, Põhjala, WÕLU, Kadrioru Park

Artists: Allan Suomalainen, Anete Aurelie Aas, Halyna Yaroshenko, Hedi Leppik, Helen Tambla, Katriin Raudsepp, Kertu Seestrand, Linda Teemägi, Lucille Gonzalez, Maksim Kapustin, Mihhail Zaytsev, Oskar Tammäe, Pihla Alina Teder, Roosi Mändmaa, Sofia Robbe, Tereza Bláhová

Interior Architects: Airi Anderson, Brigita Praks, Carmen Pikknurm, Helena-Liisa Moks, Janet Kljuzin, Karl Oskar Palo, Kertu Bachmann, Madli Bulgarin, Raigo Tšetšin, Reigo Raal

Form Supervisors: Liisi Eesmaa, Flo Kasearu

Space Creation Supervisor: Annika Kaldoja

Production: Piret Puppart, Cristopher Siniväli, Marion Laev

Graphic Design: Anete Ots, Mariliis Tarja

Artistic Direction of Photos: Liisi Eesmaa

Photographer: Riina Varol

Photographer’s assistant: Karmel Kull

MUAH: Eliise Brigita Mõisamaa

Models: Merzeede (Agency Icon), Sam (E.M.A. Model Management)

Additional Information: piret.puppart@artun.ee

Event Facebook: Event – Vahu Vahel

Photo Link: To be added later

The exhibition space of the Estonian Academy of Arts, VENT Space (Vabaduse väljak 6/8) ends its series of exhibitions with a surreal fairy tale that you either believe or not.

The exhibition “Believe it or not” opens the door to a world where familiar stories can turn into something completely new in the blink of an eye.

Kirke Ross, an artist who graduated from EKA as an animator, interweaves audio and visual art to bring to life strange and imaginative scenarios where the heroes of modern stories meet surreal elements – perhaps here you will come across a bootless cat struggling in the clutches of evil, or you will instead meet Jüri wearing a red cape, following in the footsteps of the lovely Little Red Riding Hood.

The opening of the exhibition will take place on January 30 at 18:00. There is something to drink for the first visitors.

 VENT Space’s last exhibition is open from January 31 to February 9, 2025. Every day 12:00-18:00.

Author: Kirke Ross

Curators: Kirke Ross and Katariina Kesküla