EKA Experimental Forms Exhibition “Between the Foam” at the Viru Centre

Mihhail Zaytsev_foto Riina Varol

“Between the Foam” – EKA Experimental Forms exhibition opens at the Viru Centre for the sixth time!

“Between the Foam” is an annual exhibition of experimental fashion forms by fashion, textile and accessories students of the Estonian Academy of Arts. Under the tutelage of fashion designer Liisi Eesmaa and artist Flo Kasearu, wax puppets created from scrap materials came to life and will take over the atrium of the Viru Centre from 4 February.

A special exhibition design created by EKA interior architecture students, including interactive elements such as touch screens and sound experiences, takes visitors into the heart of foam and its mutated environment. These create a tangible connection with the works, helping to better understand the impact and durability of materials in nature. “Between the Wax” does not offer answers, but encourages visitors to ask: what happens to the waste we create? Do we only notice it when it directly disturbs us, or does it blend imperceptibly into nature, causing irreversible damage?

The exhibition “Between the Foam”, open in the atrium of the Viru Centre, invites us to think about how man-made materials affect the world around us. The exhibition, created by young students, focuses on the journey of foam plastic and its cousins, from the creation of industrial waste to the emergence of an unnatural ‘life form’ that is gradually suffocating the surrounding environment, gathering power and creating post-apocalyptic landscapes.

The works in the exhibition were created during a course that lasted more than a month, during which unique sculptures were created from the residues of the packaging industry. The students manipulated materials using a variety of moulding techniques to create bizarre and organic shapes. Although predominantly inspired by nature – plants, fungi and unusual life forms – the works also reflect the conflict between man and nature.

“It’s a tremendous amount of raw energy and endless hours of work that created these haunting, bubbling and frothy works. Like a colony of swirling-black creatures in their own right, coming from the students’ subconscious as well as from rose-tinted dreams,” comments fashion designer Liisi Eesmaa, one of the workshop instructors. But artist Flo Kasearu adds: “The students made terribly juicy and voluminous accessories! The source material was terrific fun and the process was, as always, painstaking and challenging, but the final reworking of the material was terribly enjoyable!”

“Our desire is to shock enough and test the boundaries – how big and how colourful the packaging waste in the urban landscape has to be for people to clearly perceive: the only way forward is through the material cycle. We are delighted to be doing this in collaboration with the next generation – the talented students of the EKA,” said Kristel Martis, Marketing and Communications Manager of the Viru Centre, with whom the exhibition concept is now in its sixth year.

The exhibition will open in the atrium of the Viru Centre on 4 February at 16:00 and will be open until 19 February. The exhibition is free of charge.

*The synthetic PE (polyethylene foam) material used extensively in the exhibition can be recycled using modern technology and, after its “art life”, can be shredded and then reconstituted into pellets, which can be added up to 70% when moulding new material.

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

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

Forms supervisors: Liisi Eesmaa, Flo Kasearu

Spatial design supervisor: Annika Kaldoja

Production by Piret Puppart, Cristopher Siniväli, Marion Laev

Graphic design: Anete Ots, Mariliis Tarja

Photography director: Liisi Eesmaa

Photographer: Riina Varol

Assistant photographer: Karmel Kull

MUAH: Eliise Brigita Mõisamaa

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

 

Further information:
Head of the Fashion Design Department
Prof. Piret Puppart
piret.puppart@artun.ee

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Posted by Gregor Taul
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