STRIKE brings works by more than 100 iron artists and blacksmiths from around the world to Tallinn.
From 4 to 8 November, Tallinn will host STRIKE, a major international event dedicated to iron art and blacksmithing, organised by the Jewellery and Blacksmithing Department of the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA). The programme brings together a two-day international conference, a travelling exhibition featuring more than 300 works, a student exhibition, workshops and live demonstrations. Over five days, blacksmiths, artists, designers and researchers from Estonia and around the world will gather in Tallinn to explore the role of iron in contemporary art and culture. All events are free and open to the public.
At the heart of STRIKE lies a fundamental question: what is the place of blacksmithing and iron in today’s world? With a history spanning centuries, blacksmithing is both a living tradition and a medium for contemporary artistic expression. It also offers a way to reconsider our relationship with materials, technology and manual labour.
On 6–7 November, the Estonian Academy of Arts will host an international conference featuring blacksmiths, artists and researchers from Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States. The presentations will explore the impact of iron on human development, the significance of working with one’s hands, the future of traditional blacksmithing techniques and the possibilities of metal in contemporary art.
Speakers include philosopher Eik Hermann, archaeometallurgist Ragnar Saage, jewellery art researcher Julia Wild, Australian blacksmith and artist Will Maguire, German artist Peter Bauhuis, Japanese photographer Jun Ishikura and Indonesian blacksmith Raditya Mahardhika. Sander Haugas, Nils Hint and Urmas Lüüs will discuss the current state and future of blacksmithing in Estonia.
The conference presentations will also be streamed live on EKA TV at https://tv.artun.ee.
An Exhibition of More Than 300 Works Begins Its International Journey in Tallinn
One of the highlights of the STRIKE programme is the opening of the international travelling exhibition STRIKE on 6 November at 19:00 at the White Building of the Estonian Academy of Arts (Kotzebue 10, Tallinn).
Selected through an international open call, the exhibition brings together works by more than 100 artists and designers from around the world. Featuring over 300 works, the exhibition reveals the versatility of iron as a material and explores how traditional blacksmithing intersects with contemporary art, jewellery and design.
Following its presentation in Tallinn, the exhibition will travel to major European art and craft venues and events: the CODA Museum in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands; SCHMUCK at Munich Jewellery Week in Germany; the KORU9 programme at Riihisaari in Finland; and the European Biennial of Blacksmith Art in Stia, Italy.
The exhibition will be open at the White Building of the Estonian Academy of Arts from 4 to 8 November, daily from 14:00 to 19:00.
Conference livestream: https://tv.artun.ee