Category: Ceramics

On Thursday, 16th of October at 6 pm, Kristel Saan’s solo exhibition “Scent of Humans” will open at Vaal Gallery.

The exhibition will remain open until 15th of November, Tue–Fri 12–6 pm and Sat 12–4 pm.

The exhibition “Scent of Humans” speaks of how our nose is always the primary introducer to our feelings. It gives us the initial information about whether we stay or move on whether we like something or are we reluctant to it, and ultimately determines our memories.

In our brain, smells and emotions are recorded as one memory. Therefore, childhood plays an important role in the formation of our smells, based on which we make decisions basically for the rest of our lives. So it is no wonder that the freshly mowed lawn brings to mind the grandparents and the scent of childhood cottage or the smell of clean linens, hot summer laundry day and the vastness of the World playing inside it.

“Scent of Humans” speaks of the journey and the memories and experiences in its way, and how everything that follows can only be built on its shoulders. The exhibition takes baby steps back to childhood, so as not to disturb the past too much, where it puts different generations to sit down together for a moment and lose the hierarchy. The works also reflect movement between cities, cultures, and countries, as well as movement through time and age, in a search of a place where one might perhaps linger a little longer.

The exhibition “Scent of Human” is curated by Merilin Talumaa.
The exhibition is supported by Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Pühaste Brewery, Lo Alto.

Kristel Saan (b 1985) is an artist living and working in Estonia. Her practice includes large-scale installations, ceramics, textile and painting, photography and video works. The work of the artist is often reminiscent of a wide variety of imaginary places where poetry and various unexpected organic materials intertwine, through which the perception of object, material and space becomes one of the fundamental aspects of his work. During the work process, both bodily sensations and the relationship between the body and the surrounding environment are the focus of the artist’s attention. Kristel Saan has obtained a bachelor’s and master’s degree in ceramics from the Faculty of Design of the Estonian Academy of Arts. In addition, she has studied fine arts at Central Saint Martins in London, visual arts during her master’s studies at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, Canada, and sculpture at the Rhode Island School of Design in the United States.

Merilin Talumaa (b 1986) is a curator and cultural manager who lives and works in Paris and Tallinn. She has graduated from the Department of Art History and Visual Culture at the Estonian Academy of Arts. She is also a graduate of Environmental studies from University of Tartu. Her practice has evolved around research about artists’ studio and work environments and notions of migration and belonging. Her recent on-going projects include Roots to Routes (since 2020) – a curatorial initiative gathering a community of artists, curators and cultural producers from Baltic states. Prior to the book „Your Time Is My Time”, Mousse Publishing, 2023, she compiled and edited the book „Artists’ spaces : 16 studio visits”, Estonian Academy of Arts Press, 2017 (both together with Annika Toots).

This Friday, August 29th from 4 pm to 6 pm, the Erasmus+ BIP “Navigating Through the Complexities of the Digital Jungle” pop-up exhibition will be open in the monumental gallery of the EKA White House.

The Erasmus BIP workshop “Navigating Through the Complexities of the Digital Jungle” was held on 25–29 August 2025, organized by the Department of Ceramics of the Estonian Academy of Arts.

18 students from five partner universities are participating: Aalto University, Vilnius Academy of Arts, Latvian Academy of Arts, Saarland University of the Arts and Estonian Academy of Arts.

The students’ primary task was to recognize a specific spatial condition in the human environment where biodiversity and coexistence are limited. Based on this, they had to consider how the 3D design solution could connect and interact with the architecture or other specificities of the chosen location to increase species diversity and/or energy and matter circulation.

This project included lectures, presentations, discussions and practical sessions where they 3D modeled and adapted their files to be suitable for 3D clay printers. The workshop also covered different slicing software and other parametric path creation techniques. Our lecturers and invited expert from Belgium guided both the practical work and discussions and contextualized 3D clay printing in a broader theoretical framework.

Participants: Marcelo Guajardo, Mattia Anderle, Florêncio Justino João, Julie Ternus, Christian Schmidt, Stephan Andreas Petry, Ādams Sūna, Lauris Krauze, Laima Madara Lauriņa, Beatrise Kaktina, Beatrise Grudule, Jeva Šiaudvytytė, Rugilė Kriaučiūnaitė, Tauras Stuogis, Ruta Gedeikaite, Jonas Rakutis, Karl Otti, Olivia Jegorov.

Supervisors: Dries Verbruggen, Lauri Kilusk, Kaiko Kivi

Coordinator: Kersti Laanmaa

Opening hours:
Thu, Fri, Sat 13:00 – 18:00
Sun 13:00 – 17:00

The Erasmus BIP workshop “Navigating Through the Complexities of the Digital Jungle” will be held on 25–29 August 2025, organized by the Department of Ceramics of the Estonian Academy of Arts.

19 students from five partner schools will participate: Aalto University, Vilnius Academy of Arts, Latvian Academy of Arts, Saarland University of the Arts and Estonian Academy of Arts.

The course will be supervised by Dries Verbruggen (Belgium), Lauri Kilusk, Kaiko Kivi and Martin Melioranski.

The workshop will focus on the application of 3D design and printing in design. Students will be tasked with identifying spatial conditions in the human living environment where biological diversity and coexistence are limited. They will then use 3D design to create site-specific interventions aimed at increasing species diversity and/or the circulation of energy and matter, while trying to respect the architecture and other specificities of the place.

The workshop will include lectures, presentations, discussions and practical activities. Technical sessions will cover various slicing software and parametric modeling techniques, placing the practice of 3D printing within a broader theoretical framework.

The project will end with a pop-up exhibition on August 29th and a roundtable discussion with participants and teachers.

Coordinator: Kersti Laanmaa

On Wednesday, 27th of August 2025 at 6 PM, the exhibition Anatomy of Dust, by Juss Heinsalu and Kim Morgan, opens at Hobusepea Gallery.

Anatomy of Dust brings together two artistic practices that meet at the intersection of material investigation, scientific inquiry, and narrative building. Through intricate objects, experimental processes and installations, the gallery transforms into a cohesive spatial experience, a hybrid lab–studio environment, exploring the physical and conceptual forms of matter – from dust and dirt to blood, skin, and ash.

The viewer encounters “material bodies,” human and non-human, and the complex systems and cycles that connect and sustain them – presented in a range of altered micro-macro scales, amplified textures, scientific and medical imaging technologies, archive research and poetic interventions. The gallery’s large front window is used as a living interface between interior and exterior, offering passersby glimpses into the ongoing dialogue between organic and inorganic, life and death, matter and meaning.

“Informed by the experience of vibrant matter at the microscopic level these works offer new forms of body representation and an opportunity to bridge the gap between science, medicine, and art. Equally important to these installations are my propositions for the work to be situated in public space.” – Kim Morgan

“My recent work focuses on meteoritic origins, petrification and speculative conditions that present alternative mineral-based lifeforms. I have been curiously exploring ways to combine metal and ceramic compounds. Additionally, some older lines are included, such as optical devices and breathing clay-lungs animated by air pumps.” – Juss Heinsalu

The project extends beyond the visual: Kim Morgan will be using the gallery space as a studio/lab/research space to discuss her work within the context of her doctoral research, which includes situating the work in public space. A panel for public discussion (presenters TBA) is organised to engage with the scientific, artistic, and speculative ideas underpinning the works.

Artist tour: Saturday 13.09.2025 at 15 PM in ENG and 16:30 in EST
Panel discussion: Thursday 18.09.2025 at 18 PM (discussion will be held in ENG)

The exhibition will remain open until the 22nd of September.

Juss Heinsalu is an Estonian artist based in Tallinn. His autonomous research-creation process explores the embodiment of life in clay, merging scientific hypothesis, mythological and ethnographic knowledge with material-led studio practice. Heinsalu holds a degree in ceramics from the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) and received his MFA at NSCAD University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Currently, he is an associate professor and the head of the Craft Studies MA programme at EKA.

Kim Morgan is a Canadian visual artist working in multi-media installation and public space. Her work explores the impact of technology on people’s perceptions of time, space, and the body, and the shifting boundaries between the private and the public. Morgan is a professor at NSCAD University, Canada, and a PhD candidate at the Estonian Academy of Arts.

Graphic designer: Aimur Takk

Many thanks to: Estonian Academy of Arts, Arts Nova Scotia, The Dalhousie Art Gallery, Heron Vrubel, Eric-Olivier Theriault Raymond, Gary Markle, Bruce Anderson, Kärt Ojavee, Katherine Diemert, friends and family members.

The exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

“MÕJU”, a group exhibition by students of the Glass and Ceramics departments at the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA), opens on Thursday, May 22 at 18:00 in the Põhjala Tehas Cultural Centre, Marati 5, Tallinn.

From May 22 to June 8, the the exhibition presents works by eleven emerging artists who each explore the concept of “influence” — the meaning of the Estonian word “mõju” — through personal interpretations and diverse material approaches.
A shared conceptual approach ties the diverse works together. Here, influence moves quietly – through gestures, fragments, and the gentle persistence of repetition. It resides in the body, in memory, in material – often unnoticed until something shifts, suddenly becoming impossible to ignore. A surface cracks. A pattern breaks. A new perspective emerges.

At MÕJU, influence is not a force to be imposed but a presence to be sensed. It resists definition, yet leaves a trace. A mark. A memory. A motion repeated until it becomes something else.

Exploring themes such as language, memory and music—the artists employ materials ranging from glass and ceramics to photography and site-specific or ephemeral works.

Participants: Arina Golubeva, Darja Nikitina, Elisabeth Töltl, Elza Jenzena, Koidu K. Priimägi, Lilian Maasik, Lou Bolinger, Mona Sofia Tahk, Rumen Stoychev, Teresa RA, Yulia Vakina

Supervisors: Kaja Altvee, Ingrid Allik, Kateriin Rikken

Graphic design: Koidu K. Priimägi, Elisabeth Töltl

The exhibition is supported by the Estonian Academy of Arts, Vivacolor, Põhjala Tehas and
Embassy of Austria.

The exhibition opening is supported by Põhjala Brewery.

“NOISE” – A joint exhibition from students of The Estonian Academy of Arts in the  Ceramics and Glass department will take place at MUBA (Tallinn Music and Ballet School) on the 3rd floor, from May 15th to June 17th, 2024, 09:00-18:00.

The exhibition opening will be on Wednesday, May 15th, at 17:00.

While noise may initially repel us, we invite you to get a little closer instead. We encourage you to create a kind of bond with all kinds of noise, to at least try to get to know it – perhaps there’s a detail that surprises you or quite the opposite. We invite you directly into the heart of noise, into its spell…

Participating artists:

Kaja Knowers, Elisabeth Tõnne, Anna-Liisa Villmann, Johanna Hint, Keily Kerem, Karl Markus Gauk

Thanks to:

Tallinn Music and Ballet School, Estonian Academy of Arts, Punch Club, Printon Printing House, Reval Confectionery

Artists: Aili Vint (EE), Daria Melnikova (LV), Kristel Saan (EE), Kristina Õllek (EE), Monika Varšavskaja (EE/FR), Morta Jonynaitė (LT), Viktorija Daniliauskaitė (LT)

Curator: Merilin Talumaa (EE)

The exhibition Breathing Through the Eyes at L’Atlas in Paris gathers together different generations of artists from the Baltic countries, most of them presenting their work in Paris for the first time.

The exhibition touches subtly on the ideas of Lithuanian-American archaeologist and anthropologist Marija Gimbutas, whose profound research brought attention to the ancient cultures of the Baltic region and the broader Indo-European world, especially well described in her book The Balts (1963). The exhibition takes its inspiration from Gimbutas’ ideas which have influenced contemporary perspectives on heritage, indigenous identities, and the relationship between humans and nature in the Baltic Sea area.

Research on the cross-disciplines of archaeological artefacts, linguistics, ethnography and folklore led Gimbutas to posit the thesis that prehistoric European culture was female-centred and worshipped a Mother Goddess as the giver of all life. The Goddess’ power was in water and stone, in cave and tomb, in animals and birds, in hills, trees and flowers. A spiritual sense of connectedness was artfully expressed through a sophisticated symbol system and an abundance of ritual objects. Nature and body (especially the female body) were honoured in Europe for tens of thousands of years. Women had an especially strong position in societies across Eastern and Central Europe – a tendency no longer necessarily evident today.

The exhibition Breathing through the eyes poetically comments on the fragile materiality of our being, multiple identities, the process of change and new environmental sensibility. Gimbutas, who having opened the treasure trove of prehistory, inspired a belief in a peaceful existence in our time – to bring back to life suppressed vital elements, such as the earth, the body (health), the feminine, and the subconscious. Participating artists, through imaginative and fictitious narratives, share personal stories and beliefs that also reflect the influence of Gimbutas’ theories on ancient symbolism. Their works echo these concepts through a contemporary lens, incorporating elements such as spirals, circles, and motifs such as snakes and birds – symbols rooted in ancient European matriarchal cultures that continue to resonate in Baltic art and culture.

The exhibition directs us to consider how we might reimagine a world centred around goddess worship, with its emphasis on preserving nature, nurturing existence, and forsaking warfare. Could this theoretical concept transcend into the tangible reality of our future society? Breathing through the eyes seamlessly intertwines historical narratives, cultural myths, and potential scenarios, immersing us in the themes that Marija Gimbutas ignited: the celebration of life’s cycles, the sanctity of the female body and labour, and the spirituality inherent in these concepts. Gimbutas’ exploration of the spiritual dimensions of a harmonious Old Europe and her vision for a New Europe free from dominance and warfare feels remarkably pertinent in our contemporary world.

Gastronomic performance: Monika Varšavskaja (EE/FR)

Exhibition setup: Daria Melnikova (LV)

Communication visuals: Gaile Pranckunaite (LT)

Exhibition stays open until December 22, 2023.

L’Atlas
4 Cour de l’île Louviers, 75004 Paris

Opening hours: Tuesday—Saturday, 12pm—7pm

Free entrance

Marija Gimbutas (1921–1994) was a Lithuanian-American archaeologist and anthropologist. She contributed to what is considered to be one of the most significant academic watershed moments in women’s studies with her archaeological and philosophical work on Neolithic culture and religion. Gimbutas is best known for her research into the Neolithic and Bronze Age cultures of “Old Europe,” a term she introduced. Old Europe referred to both the geographical area and social structures that existed before the Indo-European influence. Gimbutas unequivocally established the existence of a Goddess religion who is the most persistent feature in the archaeological record of the ancient world. The Goddess in all her manifestations was a symbol of the unity of all life in nature. ​​Gimbutas’ discoveries took on great symbolic importance for feminists across various disciplines who found, in her vision of a peaceful, nature-revering society, a sense of hope for the future based on this foundation in the distant past.

On October 25, as part of the EKA Ceramics 100, the lecture From Hand to Hand by professor Yukinori Yamamura, a multidisciplinary artist with Japanese ceramics education, will be held for a wider audience in room A-501.

The lecture is held in English.

Yukinori Yamamura is an artist born in Kobe, Japan in 1972 and a professor at the Osaka University of Art, who has gained fame and recognition both in Japan and on the international art scene with his prolific exhibition activities.

Yukinori Yamamura: “Up until now, I have visited and created works in various countries and regions, Norway, Finland, Estonia, America, Thailand, Iran, Kenya, Germany, South Korea, China. I have searched for matreials and expression methods based on the history and culture of the land, and through encounters and exhanges with people and with the help of many people, he have realized my works. I value the process and the diverse relationships and connections that are created through my works.”

On October 23, as part of EKA Ceramics 100, it will be possible to watch the 2020 documentary film 972 Breakdowns by Daniel von Rüdiger, which shows the 2.5-year trip on motorcycles through Siberia by five young artists (among whom Kaupo Holmberg, an alumnus of the ceramics department).

On the colorful journey, which starts in Germany and is planned to go through Georgia, Mongolia, Siberia and New York, Canada, the group also experiences many setbacks, which are overcome with the help of friendship, creativity and youthful enthusiasm.

The film is in English, German and Russian, with English subtitles. It lasted 110 minutes

Place: A-501, start at 17.00