Breadcrumb
17th Annual Exhibition of Estonian Artists' Association
THE ESTONIAN ARTISTS ASSOCIATION AND MAALEHT PRESENT: LIFE ON EARTH AND IN THE COUNTRY
04.03.‒16.04.2017
Tallinn Art Hall
Curated by Mari Kartau
Design by Terje Ojaver
Can we get cottage cheese from curd snacks? Is the Earth flat? Is there a forest behind the trees? asks Mari Kartau, the curator of the exhibition, who knows that these trick questions are not just hot air, but actually hit the mark. The works created for this exhibition, which was born of a collaboration between the Artists Association and the weekly Maaleht in celebration of the newspaper’s thirtieth anniversary, are living witnesses to this; because as the curator recognises, this art tends to decrease the nostalgic, romantic and utopian picture of country life that is divorced from reality.
For a large part of the art world, the spring exhibition is an important event that allows for artists to compare themselves to others. The Estonian Artists Association has sought to diversify the yearly event through the design, selection of participants as well as by proposing interesting themes. According to Vano Allsalu, the president of the Artists Association, the survey exhibition is like spring – it will surely arrive, but each can be dramatically different from the last.
This year, the spring exhibition is aspiring to map the situation and see how well the artists can engage with the rural population. There could be no better partners than the newspaper that reports on rural life and Mari Kartau who is close to both nature and art and was invited to curate the exhibition by the Artists Association. Andres Eilart, the Editor-in-Chief of the Maaleht said: “On the occasion of our jubilee we decided to bring rural themes to Estonia’s main square. We involved both the readers and the artists in order to achieve something grand and special. A thick piece of good Estonian art always helps to capture a topic most strikingly and record life most lastingly.”
Every exhibition organiser brings his or her own experiences to the table along with the artists that have shared those experiences. Mari Kartau, who has searched for alternatives to the capital’s art scene, has spurred herself to include artists from Pärnu, Uue-Antsla, Kõima, Mooste, Lauka, Viiratsi, Põlva, Võru, Lehola, Lihula, Türi, Läsna, Kõnnu and Tartu in the exhibition. This has changed the overall nature of the annual exhibition, which is usually quite reserved, and made it more energetic and colourful.
The artists participating in the exhibition include: Siim-Tanel Annus, Sofi Aršas, Tuuliki Avango, billeneeve, Kadri Bormeister, Marju Bormeister, Nelly Drell, Sirje Eelma, Jaan Elken, Piret Ellamaa, Pille Ernesaks, Mauri Gross, Evelyn Grzinich, Hannah Harkes, Rao Heidmets, Eero Ijavoinen, Jarõna Ilo, Tiit Jaanson, Andrus Joonas, Loit Jõekalda, Danel Kahar, Tauno Kangro, Erki Kasemets, Jüri Kass, Miljard Kilk, Tiiu Kirsipuu, Andres Koort, Liisa Kruusmägi, Toomas Kuusing, Kadi Kübarsepp, August Künnapu, Vilen Künnapu, Kaarel Kütas, Leonhard Lapin, Peeter Laurits, Silvi Liiva, Maigi Magnus, Piret Meos, Mare Mikof, Piret Mildeberg, Rein Mägar, Karl-Kristjan Nagel, Naima Neidre, —> Noolegrupp, Kaire Nurk, Terje Ojaver, Tiiu Pallo-Vaik, Priit Pangsepp, Mall Paris, Per William Petersen, Juss Piho, Katrin Piile, Mari Prekup ja Hannah Harkes, Rait Prääts, Pusa, Tarmo Puudist, Enn Põldroos, Tiit Pääsuke, Jane Remm, Tarmo Roosimölder, Mari Roosvalt, Uno Roosvalt, Fideelia-Signe Roots, Rait Rosin, Martin Saar, Silja Saarepuu and Villu Plink, Lembit Sarapuu, Valev Sein, Aleksei Šatunov, Juhan Soomets, Grisli Soppe-Kahar, Merike Sule-Trubert, Tiina Tammetalu, Erika Tammpere, Edgar Tedresaar, Evi Tihemets-Viires, Margus Sorge Tiitsmaa, Tanel Tolsting, Tarvo Kaspar Toome, Heli Tuksam, Maria-Kristiina Ulas, Silver Vahtre, Katrin Valdre ja Sven Saag, Kelli Valk, Einar Vene, Eve Viidalepp, Maara Vint, Kadi-Maarja Võsu, Marje Üksine.
