Calendar

The year 2025 marks the 500th anniversary of Michel Sittow’s death in his hometown of Reval (now Tallinn). Sittow’s life, career, and œuvre exemplify how, in the Late Medieval and Early Modern world, professional mobility was no less significant than it is today. The seminar aims to explore the international visual and political contexts surrounding Sittow in order to better understand his experiences within the artistic production and visual culture of late fifteenth- and early sixteenth-century Europe.

The seminar brings together early-career and established scholars from various fields, including history, art history, visual culture studies, and artwork restoration and conservation. It offers an academic forum for discussing the background of Michel Sittow’s life and works and their international reception.

Programme
Registration form for the attendees (open until 28.11.2025): https://forms.gle/ZHFFD3W35ms5oeYJ6

Organisers: Oskar J. Rojewski (University of Silesia), Anneli Randla (EKA), Anu Mänd (TÜ)

On November 11 at 5:00 p.m., an exhibition of biennial proportions will open in the Telliskivi Green Hall, where young artists from the Estonian Academy of Arts will explore how the relationship between industry and society has developed and changed over time. The exhibition features more than 100 artworks.

The exhibition “Invisible Stones. A Young Artist’s View of Industry” focuses on the dialogue between industry and society. The exhibition features over a hundred works that invite us to think about responsibility, sustainability and the impact of humans on the landscape.

The works were created during summer internships at the industrial landscapes of Viru Keemia Grupp in Ida-Viru County. The young artists’ gaze moves from poetic landscape views to intimate everyday stories – oil shale sometimes becomes a decorative wallpaper pattern in the living room, sometimes a monumental cathedral that records the layers of time.

The collaboration is motivated by the 100th anniversary of the Estonian shale oil industry. The exhibition invites the viewer to stop and reflect on the traces that work, landscape and people have left on each other and how their relationship could develop in the future.

The summer internship at the industrial landscapes of Viru Keemia Grupp took place in June and August 2025. A total of 65 students participated in the summer internship, including students from the departments of scenography, animation, graphics, sculpture, contemporary art, fashion and painting. The exhibition also presents the work of designers and applied artists.

Participating artists: Adele Sillat, Alexander Matthias Saage, Aliisa Ahtiainen, Anastasia Nikiforova, Anastasia Ananjeva, Anu Jakobson, Beata Batejev, Bob Bicknell-Knight, Darja Malõševa, Edvard Vellevoog, Emma Reti Tikenberg, Grete Kangro, Hannah Segerkrantz, Ivor Mikker, Karl Uustal, Kaspar Lesk, Kateryna Tyshchenko, Karolina Peterson, Kirke Kirt, Kirke Kits, Kristjan Tammjärv, Ksenia Verbeštšuk, Liisa Nurklik, Linda Teemägi, Lume Tuum, Maibrit Kaur, Marek Huntsaar, Maria-Eliise Muinaste, Marit Loitmets, Marta Huimerind, Marta Konovalov, Mia-Stella Aaslaid, Nora Schmelter, Oskar Vels, Patrick Soome, Paul Aadam Mikson, Piia Bianka Pere, Robin August Vöörmann, Rosa-Maria Nuutinen, Sander Haugas, Selene Taur, Stuudio Kollektiir, Stiina-Marie Sarevet, Taavi Teevet, Tauris Reose, Teresa RA, Veronika Pavliuk, Visa Nurmi, Yuna-Lee Pfau, Denis Kudrjašov

Exhibition curators: Lilian Hiob-Küttis, Kirke Kangro and Ruth Melioranski

Project team: Irina Bojenko, Kaia-Liisa Jõesalu, Kaja Krustok

Supervisors: Anita Kremm, Britta Benno, Charlotte Biszewski, Ene-Liis Semper, Francesco Rosso, Holger Loodus, John Grzinich, Karl Joonas Alamaa, Laura Põld, Lilli-Krõõt Repnau, Mark Raidpere, Mihkel Ilus, Taavi Talve, Viktor Gurov, Zody Burke, Björn Koop, Eve Margus, Heikki Zoova, Juss Heinsalu, Kaja Altvee, Kärt Ojavee, Lieven Lahaye, Linda Kaljundi, Nils Hint, Piret Hirv, Urmas Lüüs

Designer: Kati Saarits

The exhibition is open until December 7th.

Thu-Fri 12-7 PM

Sat-Sun 10-5 PM

From December 2 to December 11, EKA Library will be open from Tuesday to Thursday from 10am to 10pm.

On December 3 and 10, the library will also open its Emergency Writing Assistance Department (EWD) in half-hour flash feedback sessions from 18 to 20. Bring along your texts and presentations and ask for advice on referencing and finding sources. Appointments will take place on a first-come, first-served basis.

Free coffee, tea, and gingerbread cookies to students and readers!

Duo exhibition “Shared” by Brenda Purtsak & Marleen Suvi
ArtDepoo Gallery 7.11.–13.12.2025
Open Wed–Fir 12–6 pm Sat 12–4 pm, free entry
Opening: Thursday, November 6 at 6 pm

ArtDepoo gallery will be the first to present the new large format paintings jointly created by Purtsak and Suvi. While choosing the reference materials for the paintings the artists noticed the recurring themes in photographs of different families: “We took the photo archives of all three of our families as a basis and focused primarily on figures. We quickly noticed how we all have photos of similar situations and although the characters are unique, the material repeats itself,” adds curator Kaisa Maasik.

An unconventional process was chosen for creating the paintings, one that required Purtsak and Suvi to stay flexible within their already established styles. The works were created collaboratively by both artists taking turns: several exchanges were made for each painting, while the artists constantly shared photos of the current states and discussed which directions to take moving forward. The paintings were completed together in the gallery. Since the reference material varied – sometimes being double-exposed or full of activity, sometimes being unexpected and minimal– it allowed the artists to either generalize, leave more empty spaces on the surfaces, or add more detail and density. Throughout, the artists had to intervene in the reference material and merge their own personal handwritings.

The artists will be at the gallery on two Saturdays, November 15 and 29. During this time, everyone is welcome to come and chat and ask additional questions about the exhibition.

Artists: Brenda Purtsak & Marleen Suvi
Curated by: Kaisa Maasik
Graphic Design by: Aimur Takk
The exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
Opening drinks from Põhjala Brewery.

We warmly welcome you to the exhibition opening “This has always altered me” by Tea Lemberpuu and Maris Siimer in Artrovert Gallery, Tomorrow 5th of November at 18.30.

This has always altered me
Tea Lemberpuu ja Maris Siimer

There is a longing within us that carries the force of a strong wind. It drives one to move forward and seek a peaceful place. For example, one located in some border area, where one can hear the whispers of two places masterfully blending together. It urges us forward and sends us in search of a peaceful place — perhaps somewhere on the edge of things, where the whispers of two places meet and gently intertwine. Even a restless soul, pausing to listen, can become tranquil. Such quiet moments take on a form that might be considered sacred.

The sacred reveals itself in the everyday through our continuous search and our wish to notice it around us. It does not hide in a longed-for place, but rather in the pauses and flickers that slow us down as we move towards it. Perhaps it is in falling silent that the edge of sacredness becomes visible — like an invisible thread stitched into daily life, binding everything and everyone with its unbroken seam.

The sensitive paintings of Tea Lemberpuu and Maris Siimer are like snapshots from this journey — the canvas as a notebook to which the artists return, making notations in their own language of colour and form.  At once a quiet resistance and an effort to preserve sensitivity in a time whose relentless pace rarely allows us to stop.

Connection – and its absence – has always altered me. Into silence.

Tea Lemberpuu (b. 1980) holds a BA in Painting (2023) and an MA in Contemporary Art (2025) from the Estonian Academy of Arts. She has been awarded the EAA Young Artist Prize and is a member of the Tartu Artists’ Union. Lemberpuu has participated in exhibitions in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Italy. Her work, across different techniques and areas of inquiry, has consistently explored questions of time and slowness, boundaries and chance, play and visibility. In this exhibition, she seeks ways in which the sacred might emerge in everyday life through connection and love.
Maris Siimer (b. 1980) is a visual artist based in Tallinn whose practice encompasses illustration and painting. Integrating long walks in nature into her process, she observes how slowness and silence can guide us toward something greater and more sacred than ourselves. The two largest works in the exhibition were painted in open air, in the presence of light and air — as if with her ear turned toward the sounds of nature, Siimer intuitively and in layers builds up invisible searches on the surface of the canvas. Her ongoing exploration of expression and method is influenced by the organic forms of Estonia’s northern coastal landscapes. Just as nature has guided her, so too has music at moments when the connection with oneself and the sacred feels fragile. Siimer’s paintings are, in a way, an invitation to restore that connection. She is a member of the Estonian Painters’ Association and the women artists’ collective Fööniks.

Supported by the Estonian Cultural Endowment
Text: Karola Ainsar
Graphic design: Katariin Mudist
More information: Siim Raie, Artrovert Gallery, galerii@artrovert.ee | +372 507 6807 | www.artrovert.ee

We warmly welcome you to the opening of the group exhibition 

“The Hay Season. A Longing for Eternity” on 11 November at 6:30 PM, 

at Manufaktuuri 7/2, Tallinn.

From 12. November to 18. December 2025, artists Martin Mikson, Anna-Liisa Pärt, Paul Aadam Mikson, and Juulia Aleksandra Mikson present a joint exhibition “The Hay Season. A Longing for Eternity” at Manufaktuuri Quarter, Tallinn.

“The Hay Season. A Longing for Eternity” is an exhibition that reflects on the relationship between humans and nature, the passage of time, and the rhythms of survival. Once, haytime signified a period of anxious waiting and dependence on the weather – today, it has become a poetic metaphor for the longing for peace and balance in an ever-changing world.

The exhibition mirrors the artists’ personal and shared connection to familiar landscapes that are in constant transformation. “The Hay Season. A Longing for Eternity” invites the viewer to notice the rhythm of nature and reminds us how fragile our bond with it has become.

Martin Mikson is a scenographer and painter who has created numerous stage designs for Estonian theatres.
Anna-Liisa Pärt is a scenographer and painter.
Paul Aadam Mikson is a metal artist. Who works with large scale forgings.  
Juulia Aleksandra Mikson is a textile artist exploring the boundaries between materials.

All the artists are graduates of the Estonian Academy of Arts.

Graphic design: Juulia A. Mikson

Supported by: Hepsor, Põhjala Pruulikoda, Õllenaut.

The winter assessment marathon is here! For three weeks, you can once again experience works produced by students in the Faculty of Fine Arts as their term projects are presented: every day there will be a fresh showcase of university students’ works on display.

Works in animation, contemporary art, installation and sculpture, painting, photography, graphic art and scenography curricula will be on display. On almost each evening of the marathon, a new exhibition will be installed and in the following evening the exhibit will give way to the next one. Hopefully, viewers will be able to keep up with the pace of the young artists.

The assessments will take place in the main building of EKA Gallery (Kotzebue 1, Tallinn) and the new EKA monumental studio (1st floor of Kotzebue 1, Tallinn).

On the assessment day(s), the exhibitions are open from 2 pm to 6 pm, on Sundays the exhibitions are open from 12 pm to 4 pm.

SCHEDULE

Mon 1.12. Drawing, Fine Arts BA I, supervisor Matti Pärk (EKA Gallery)
Tue 2.12. Drawing, Fine Arts BA II, supervisor Eero Alev (EKA Gallery)
Wed 3.12. Drawing, Fine Arts BA III, supervisor Tea Lemberpuu (EKA Gallery)
Thu 4.12. Sculpture, Fine Arts BA I, supervisors Laura Põld, Taavi Talve (EKA Gallery)
Thu 4.12. – Fri 5.12. Scenography BA III, supervisor  Mark Raidpere (Kotzebue 10)
Fri 5.12. – Sat 6.12. Contemporary Art MA I & II, supervisors Sirja-Liisa Eelma, Merike Estna, Viktor Gurov, Tuukka Kaila, Eve Kask, Kristi Kongi, Karel Koplimets, Paul Kuimet, Camille Laurelli, Holger Loodus, Laura Põld, Sten Saarits, Liina Siib, Taavi Talve, Jaan Toomik, Reimo Võsa-Tangsoo (EKA Gallery)
Sun 7.12. – Mon 8.12. Contemporary Art MA I & II, supervisors Sirja-Liisa Eelma, Merike Estna, Viktor Gurov, Tuukka Kaila, Eve Kask, Kristi Kongi, Karel Koplimets, Paul Kuimet, Camille Laurelli, Holger Loodus, Laura Põld, Sten Saarits, Liina Siib, Taavi Talve, Jaan Toomik, Reimo Võsa-Tangsoo (EKA Gallery & Kotzebue 10)
Tue 9.12. Contemporary Art MA I & II, supervisors Sirja-Liisa Eelma, Merike Estna, Viktor Gurov, Tuukka Kaila, Eve Kask, Kristi Kongi, Karel Koplimets, Paul Kuimet, Camille Laurelli, Holger Loodus, Laura Põld, Sten Saarits, Liina Siib, Taavi Talve, Jaan Toomik, Reimo Võsa-Tangsoo (EKA Gallery & Kotzebue 10)
Wed 10.12. Painting, Fine Arts BA I, supervisors Karl-Kristjan Nagel, Tõnis Saadoja (EKA Gallery)
Thu 11.12. Graphic Art, Fine Arts BA II & III, supervisors Britta Benno, Charlotte Biszewski, Liisi Grünberg, Viktor Gurov, Eve Kask, Liina Siib (EKA Gallery)
Thu 11.12. Graphic Art, Fine Arts BA II & III, supervisors Charlotte Biszewski, Viktor Gurov,Eve Kaaret, Madis Kaasik, Eve Kask, Pawel Schulz (Kotzebue 10)
Fri 12.12. Graphic Art, Fine Arts BA II & III, supervisors Kadi Kurema, Marten Prei, Paul Rannik (EKA Gallery)
Sat 13.12. Drawing, animation BA I & photography BA II, supervisor Lilli-Krõõt Repnau (EKA Gallery)
Sun 14.12. – Mon 15.12. Photography BA I, supervisor Annika Haas (EKA Gallery)
Tue 16.12. Painting, Fine Arts BA III, supervisors Angela Maasalu, Jaan Toomik, Mart Vainre (EKA Gallery)
Tue 16.12. Photography, BA II, supervisor Kalle Veesaar (Kotzebue 10)
Wed 17.12. Painting, Fine Arts BA II, supervisors Sirja-Liisa Eelma, Holger Loodus, Tõnis Saadoja (EKA Gallery)
Thu 18.12. Animation BA I, supervisor Lilli-Krõõt Repnau (EKA Gallery)

Sven Mantsik, a master’s student in Contemporary Art, has explored various disciplines such as installation, printmaking, self-publishing, animation and video games, while always nurturing his primary passion: drawing.

Sometimes fictional, sometimes autobiographical, his drawings present a social satire of an all-too-common daily life, blending melancholy, dreamlike elements, sharpness and humour. His exhibition “Timeline”, offers an in-depth look at his narrative and visual approach. The EKA Library’s showcase space features a selection of his graphic works.

The exhibition is open until December 19.

From 21 November to 4 January, the Palm Hall of the Tallinn Botanical Garden will present the exhibition “BOTEXSEMANTIC GARDEN / HORTUS BOTEXEMANTICUS” by Kadi Kibbermann and Piret Valk, lecturers from the Department of Textile Design at the Estonian Academy of Arts.

The exhibition presents experimental textile installations that tell the story of the role and meaning of plants in the lives of the artists – about the materials obtained from plants and their survival strategies.

The exhibition responds to the challenge of adapting to a world in which intergenerational memory is being replaced by instructions and rules; great stories have become impoverished language abbreviations and direct contacts have become virtual. Algorithms have become landmarks in plant-blind artificial landscapes.

The support-root of artists of maintaining balance with the real world are their contact with nature and relationships with other species. They explore what could be learned from plants through practical interest, poetic interpretations and artistic practice based on them. The inspiration is the diversity, essential and distinctiveness of the plant world – forms, patterns and textures; their necessity for people and the environment; their ability to adapt to change and survive even in very difficult conditions. The works combine knowledge and practical experience to show the importance of plants as an endless source of resources – as fertilizer, providing role models and seeds of ideas, as fibers and natural colors; and as communication with plants, health and balance. Plants help to remember and depict stories that affirm identity.

To adapt to today’s world, a new language of communication – BOTEX has been created in the context of the exhibition. Botany + textile + poetry + meanings = BOTEX semantics.

There are BOTEXophies growing in the BOTEXemantic garden.

BOTEXophies are synthesized from plants and textiles.

BOTEX is spoken by plant-loving BOTEXegees, to translate plants and their strategies through BOTEXophies.

BOTEXophies are named and organized into the BOTEXonomic system: INDEX BOTEXEMANTICUM.

The exhibition is open until the 4th of January 2026.

More information about the opening hours of the Palm House and greenhouses can be found at: https://botaanikaaed.ee/en/opening-hours/

On October 16, Narva Art Residency will host the largest international fashion exhibition in Narva to date, “Hõimulõim (Tribal Thread),” led by the Fashion Design Department. The exhibition will open as part of the official program of “Narva Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2025” and will take place during the most important week of the tribal peoples’ calendar year, Tribal Week.

“Hõimulõim” is an exhibition that weaves Finno-Ugric tradition into contemporary fashion design. It is a tribute to a rich heritage, the survival of which depends on how skillfully we can bring it into our lives today. Tradition does not remain in a closet or archive – it only lives if we let it grow with time, wear it and love it.

The exhibition features the work of designers from nine Finno-Ugric peoples. The works of Sami, Khanty, Udmurt, Mari, Komi, Hungarian, Karelian, Finnish (including Ingrian) and Estonian (including Seto and Võro) creators highlight that clothing can be both a practical object and a carrier of identity and collective memory. Each author asks in their own way what it means to be a Finno-Ugric designer in the 21st century – how to weave one’s tradition into a modern form and what to tell the world about its multi-layered field of meaning. These works also open up ethical choices: what material to use, how to preserve local skills and how to tell the story of one’s people in a way that creates a dialogue even for those who were not born into this cultural space.

The “tribal thread” (hõimulõim) is an invisible but tenacious bond between Finno-Ugric peoples. It does not ask for national borders or political sentiment, but runs deep in the undercurrents – in language, patterns, songs, dance and beliefs”, says the exhibition curator Piret Puppart and adds: “In today’s world, where the song of some peoples is quieter than ever before and the weavers of many patterns have become isolated, this thread between tribal peoples is particularly fragile.”

Various social tensions are increasingly testing the survival of traditions and forcing us to look for ways to keep them alive for future generations. “Hõimulõim” invites us to notice that preserving culture is not only about preserving the past, but also about creating the future. It is an invitation to wear our heritage on a daily basis – be it a piece of jewelry, an object or an ornament – ​​and to understand that every such choice strengthens the thread that connects us across borders and eras.

The exhibition’s interactive, technologically innovative experiences are also exciting. Visitors can discover patterns hidden in dresses created by Piret Puppart using magnets, as well as experience a hologram waterfall dedicated to the world of Votian patterns designed by artist Alyona Movko-Mägi. Hologram art is a little-known technique in the world of conjuring visual elements that cannot be touched with the hand, but can be touched virtually and with the eye. This is the first time this medium is coming to Narva in such a volume.

Finno-Ugric roots also have a wider international reach in the world of design and art than one might think. The Komi compass pattern has found its way into Kandinsky’s paintings, and Udmurt mannerisms into Tchaikovsky’s music. However, only recently was a designer with Karelian roots awarded the Diesel Design Award, while Izhor blood has dressed Estonian Olympic athletes in Athens. The representative of the Mari nationality was behind the knitting collections of the legendary Estonian brand Mosaic for years, and when wearing Adidas shoes, you can feel the Udmurt heart. The Diesel Design Award-winning collection and the best pieces from Helsinki Design Week are also coming to the exhibition that will open soon. The exhibition can be visited until January 11.

Curator: Piret Puppart

Artists: Antrea Kantakoski, vainio.seitonen (Johanna Vainio & Merja Seitsonen), Sigrid Kuusk, Ramona Salo, Dina Andreeva, Natalja Lill, Darali Leli, Eneken Johanson, Stella Tukia, Kaia Kuusmann, Zsófia Papp, Zsófia Papp, Maria Roosiaas, Hanna-Tiina Pekk, Anneliis Reili, Kertu Kivisik, Nadežda Kasatkina, Lana Vakhovska, Karl Joonas Alamaa, Piret Puppart and Alyona Movko-Mägi 

Graphic design: Eva Sepping

Many thanks: Anna Kuznetsova, Muš Nadii, Nikolai Anisimov, Nikolay Kuznetsov, Barbi Pilvre, Jaak Prozes, Žanna Toht, Ekaterina Kuznetsova, Helena Schilf, Natalia Ermakov

Supporters: Estonian Academy of Arts, Fashion Design Department, Tribal Peoples Program, Cultural Endowment, NGO Fenno-Ugria, NART, Narva Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2025

This exhibition features handmade books by EKA students as the culmination of a course in which they worked with photographs in book format. They explored the similarities and differences between artist books, self-publishing, and book dummies. In addition to creating and editing visual materials, students tried their hand at design, pre-press, and binding by hand. 

The books contain both analog and digital photos in the form of collages, typologies, narratives, and archival materials. The subjects explored include personal themes such as hometown, friendship, family, and childhood, as well as everyday life, the inexpressibility of feelings and perceptions, and mundane architecture.

Artists participating in the exhibition: Mikk Keis, Olesja Prants, Gleb Volodtšenko, Mari Karjus, Viktoria Weiszova, Tobias Tikenberg, Jana Mätas (MACA), Kristiina Aarna (DKT).

Supervisor Mirjam Varik.

We are opening the exhibition “Abandoned Landscapes. Joaveski Paper Factory” on October 31st at 3:00 PM at the Joaveski Community Center, at Lahemaa.

The exhibition presents projects and models by students of the EKA Architecture and Urban Design curriculum, which explore how to value and revitalize the historic Joaveski paper factory.

The Estonian Academy of Arts’ Faculty of Architecture and the Department of Heritage Protection and Conservation organized the interdisciplinary “Abandoned Landscapes” workshop for the fourteenth time at the beginning of this year, where efforts are being made to find modern solutions for disused building complexes. This year’s workshop, professional studio and exhibition were created in collaboration with the Joaveski Village NPO, which has taken it upon itself to value the abandoned paper factory as a landmark.

The authors of the completed projects are now 3rd year architecture and urban design students: Maria Johanna Ahtijainen, Oskar Toomet-Björck, Elisabeth Ersling, Nele Lisette Hera, Heidi Jagus, Katariina Klammer, Eliis Kurvits, Lilian Källo, Lisandra Lipp, Marie Elle Melioranski, Mark Metsa, Mart Nael, Joonas Ott, Elenor Pihlak, Harriet Piirmets, Robin Pints, Elisabeth Tomingas, Katariina Vaher, Aliis Vatku, Martin Vatku.

The projects were supervised by architects Joel Kopli, Koit Ojaliiv and Juhan Rohtla from the architectural office KUU, advised by LCA consultant Anni Oviir, and the landscape architecture section was supervised by Katrin Koov and Arvi Anderson. Andres Õis welcomed and introduced the history of Joaveski.

The exhibition is supported by MTÜ Joaveski küla and AS Maru.

The exhibition will remain open at the Joaveski community center during library opening hours until April 1, 2026. Open Monday and Friday 9:00 – 16:00 and Wednesday 11:00 – 15:00.

About the history of the Joaveski factory

The construction of the Joaveski cardboard factory began in 1899 and is a vivid example of how the feudal Loobu manor adapted to the new capitalist economic environment at the end of the 19th century, which resulted in the establishment of an industrial enterprise. Joaveski developed into a small industrial village in a place of natural beauty. Today, a hydroelectric power plant operates at the heart of the factory, but most of the rooms have lost their purpose.

A collective end-event of the Studio1: Urbanization course by the first year Urban Studies students. Feel free to jump in any time, bring your headphones and dress warm!

Location: at Putukaväil, bus stop Ehte
Start date: 07. 12. 2025.
Start time: 12.00

Through the semester, we walked, talked, toured, detoured, shared, felt, lost and found the essence of Shtromka and now we would like to warmly invite you to join our final walk – a shared journey through the complexity of time, space, imagination, and communities.

But what does Shtromka, a colloquial term, an intuitive district, tell us about our time, if space can be a socio-cultural mirror? And what forms the futures might take – both for communities and for spatial structures – if we look closely at the stories of Sthromka and broader cultural, economical and political forces that hold and shape us? And ultimately, why does Shtromka matter, after all?

Together, we will peel back the layers of Shtromka, dive into the questions it arises and situate them within the wider contexts of the emerging processes. Along the way, we will share our 11 individual projects, each living at the intersection of these questions and feelings, curated into three thematic detours – each ending with a shared moment of reflection, where we can open the floor to collective discussion.

12.00 – 14.00 detour1 – – – – – – – – meeting at Putukaväil, bus stop Ehte

15.20 – 16.30 detour2 – – – – – – – – meeting at Sõle tn 67

17.00 – 18.15 detour3 – – – – – – – – meeting at bus stop Pelguranna

Students:

Mahamudul Hasan
Kadri Haugas
Md. Shariful Islam
Mihkel Uku Karindi
Catherine Vera Lavrik
Helka Molnar
Luca Oszwald
Alexander João Pereira Witte
Clara Prellwitz
Nabid Shovon
Elena Wübbeling

Tutors:

Mira Samonig
Karina Vabson

What is Palestinian literature talking about today? And who is it talking to? Hazem Jamjoum and Heba Hayek, curators of the November issue of Vikerkaar magazine devoted to Palestinian literature, discuss the role of art in dark times – in the Middle East and around the world.

On December 10th at 4 p.m., an open lecture entitled “Palestinian Literature Today” will take place in the EKA foyer event area. The lecture takes place in English. It will be followed by a discussion and moderated by Hille Hanso. 

Hazem Jamjoum is a cultural historian, archivist, and teacher based in London. He is the managing editor of the recently established publishing house Safarjal Press. His translation of Ghassan Kanafani’s “The Revolution of 1936–1939 in Palestine” published by 1804 Books won the 2024 Palestinian Book Award. Her translation of Maya Abu al-Hayyati’s novel “No One Knows Their Blood Type” was published by CSU Poetry Center in 2024.Heba Hayek is a writer, workshop facilitator, and communications consultant based primarily in London. She seeks out stories that challenge traditional archives and imposed conditions of visibility. Her debut book, “Sambac Beneath Unlikely Skies” won the 2022 Palestine Book Award. The White Review, Middle East Eye, and The New Arab named it Book of the Year 2021.

On 12 December, 2025 Margus Tamm, external doctoral student of Art and Design curriculum, will defend his doctoral thesis „Artistic Interventions in the Public Space: Tactical Media and the Communicative Turn in Protest Culture at the Turn of the Millennium“ („Kunstilised sekkumised avalikus ruumis. Taktikaline meedia ja kommunikatiivne pööre protestikultuuris aastatuhande vahetusel“).
The public defense will take place at 11.00 at EKA (Põhja pst 7), room A101.

Thesis is available in EKA digital repository.

Supervisors: Prof. Andres Kurg (Estonian Academy of Arts)
Prof. Marek Tamm (Tallinn University)
External reviewers: Dr. Ingrid Ruudi (Estonian Academy of Arts)
Prof. Daniele Monticelli (Tallinn University)
Opponent: Prof. Daniele Monticelli (Tallinn University)

Summary:

The political culture of the 21st century is increasingly shaped by protest movements and protest politics. Against the backdrop of weakening traditional democratic institutions, protest activism has become a fertile ground for civic participation and democratic renewal – revitalizing political debate, creating new collective identities, and expanding the ways of political engagement.

This research focuses on the spectacular dimensions of contemporary protest culture and on the period 1990–2010 – an academically under-studied transitional era during which a radically democratic and artistically interventionist protest repertoire emerged. The dissertation consists of five articles that, through case studies and theoretical discussion, examine the defining features of interventionist artistic activism, accompanied by an introductory umbrella chapter that frames the research topic and situates it within a broader discussion.

The study addresses the following questions: what kind of social role do protest movements and popular protest politics play in contemporary Western democracies; how has the communicative turn in the social sciences shaped the conceptualization of protest movements; what is the role of artistic practices in contemporary protest culture; what developments characterize democratic protest culture during the period of 1990–2010; and finally – and most crucially – how can the passion for political change be reconciled with institutional sustainability?

The broader aim of the dissertation is to examine contemporary protest culture as a point of intersection between artistic and political expression, to contribute to the critical discourse on its expanding social role, and to highlight both the challenges and opportunities that arise from employing artistic practices for activist purposes.

The traditional EKA Christmas Fair is happening again on Sunday, December 14, 2025, from 12:00 to 18:00.

One of Estonia’s most popular Christmas markets once again invites all art and design enthusiasts to discover and buy memorable gifts. When you buy presents at the EKA Christmas Market, you support the work of current and future Estonian artists and designers, as every item sold is created by EKA students and alumni. Those who have attended before know: the cozy atmosphere is always guaranteed.

More information on our social media channels: Instagram, Facebook event
Or via email: jouluturg@artun.ee

2025 VENDORS

JEWELRY & BLACKSMITHING:

• A6925
• Agnes Veski Jewelry
• Bianca Toots
• Celestialvirgin
• ERLE NEMVALTS
• Esox Lures OÜ
• fredtruus
• GOHARA
• Hvitolg
• Janika Mägi
• Kadi Veesaar Jewellery
• Katrin Veegen Jewellery
• Keiu Koppel Autoriehted
• Kelly Engelbrecht x ICEICEGEMZ
• killud
• Kuttenberg Knives
• Ljóf Jewelry
• Lyly x Nada x Sylvi
• Margus Elizarov
• Metashika
• Mirjam Aun
• MUSTKIVI
• Nils Hint
• PATRICK SOOME
• Paul
• Robert Idvani
• Sile Luik
• TELLISKIVI.
• Varm Country X Franky
• xensyl
• ZYLELY

CERAMICS & GLASS ART:

• 1001tassi
• BBABSxBBABS
• Craft Studies / Taidestuudium
• Elize Hiiop Jewellery
• Ethel Ütsmüts keraamika
• HYTI
• iamoffeveryday
• johannatammceramics
• kadri
• Kateriin Rikken
• Kay Shek
• Kuu keraamika
• KÄRT SEPPEL
• Lauri Kilusk
• Lilian Maasik
• Loora & Sarahi keraamika
• Maarja Sildvee
• Mari-Liis Makus Glass Design
• MEELI
• MONA SOFIA TAHK
• MSK Glass
• Palmik ceramics
• PUHU
• Sigrid Luitsalu glass
• Stuudio Raili Keiv
• SUME
• Tikrimoos
• Tilt Collection
• Triini Ceramics
• Umi
• Vakinay Glass

GRAPHICS & PAINTING:

• 35&36
• ART by TBA
• Anastasija Šteinle
• Annamaria Bereczki
• Antenninimene OÜ ja Kuraditosin OÜ
• Catherine Zarip
• EKA Graphic Design Master
• Ella-Mai Matsina
• ENKKL
• Hurray Mail
• ICIKICI collective
• Illustrations STUDIO
• Irmakmiz
• Joonas Sildre ja Elina Sildre illustratsioonid
• Katariin Mudist
• KERAAFIKA
• Kirjastus Hunt
• Kristino Rav
• Krõõt Kukkur Illustrations
• Laura Verte Illustrations
• Leore Klõšeiko
• Lucky Laika
• Lígia Fernandes
• Mania Grandiosa
• Marjamaitse / Pampel
• Marten Prei
• mesimagus
• Natalia Mirzoyan
• Nurr x UIK
• Paul Rannik
• Sandra Puusepp
• Selene Taur
• Triin Mänd

LEATHER PRODUCTS & ACCESSORIES:

• Aliisi lambad
• Annreal
• Carmen Kremm
• Ifku
• Karen Milistver
• Koa Concept Store
• LUKS
• MIRGOODS
• Mystique Art & Design
• MÄRG
• Piibe Tomp Stuudio
• SIUG

FASHION & TEXTILE:

• barbed
• B.MOR STUDIO
• carolxott
• Christoph
• ELLEN RICHARD
• Eve Hanson
• Hanna Tiina Pekk
• HANNES RÜÜTEL
• Jaagup Kaiv
• k4m4t3
• KAIRI GETMAN
• Karl Korsar
• Kirill Safonov
• Kristina Oja
• multistab.
• Poeet Design
• sask: design
• Siim Oja
• Tilda Knitwear
• Vivian Vuks

PRODUCT DESIGN:

• behäppi
• EstWallArt
• GISAIN reflectors
• Katahana
• kollektiir
• KOOSdisain
• Oliver Kanniste
• Ringdisaini sfäärid
• Sviiter
• Unzelm
• WindlaStudio

The UNESCO Chair at the Estonian Academy of Arts is opening the exhibition “Estonian Heritage on the World Map” at Valga Railway Station.

We are proud of our heritage and confident that it also speaks to the wider world. Yet we know surprisingly little about what from Estonia is actually considered remarkable internationally, and what opportunities the presentation of our heritage together with others in shared networks can offer.
The exhibition by the Estonian Academy of Arts presents what from Estonia has been included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Intangible Cultural Heritage List, and the Memory of the World Register. It also highlights which places have been awarded the European Heritage Label. Several European Cultural Routes run through Estonia. Over the years, Estonian works have also been recognized with Europa Nostra awards. We usually talk about such places one by one. With this exhibition, EKA aims to create a bigger picture, to inspire owners and local governments, and to remind everyone that by working together we can achieve more. Cultural heritage offers endless opportunities for presenting ourselves and for finding like-minded partners.
EKA will open the exhibition on “Heritage Sunday,” 7 December at 12:15 at Valga Railway Station, in cooperation with the Valga Museum and ICOMOS Estonia. The exhibition will be introduced by Riin Alatalu, holder of the EKA UNESCO Chair and vice-president of the international expert organization for heritage conservation.

For more information, please contact:

Riin Alatalu
riin.alatalu@artun.ee
+372 511 9439