Keithy Kuuspu and Katariin Mudist’s exhibition 'You Were Selected This Time'

On Friday, 9 October at 5:00 PM, the exhibition You Were Selected This Time by Katariin Mudist and Keithy Kuuspu will open at the Tallinn City Gallery. The exhibition will remain open until 29 November.

The first version of the exhibition took place at the Tartu Art House in early 2025. However, something almost anticipated by the exhibition happened in the meantime. The exhibition tackling themes of recognition and the experience of being overlooked received the Annual Award for Visual and Applied Arts of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia. Thus, the new version of the exhibition at the Tallinn City Gallery will take place from an already changed position.

In You Were Selected This Time, the artist duo examines the temporary and bittersweet nature of recognition and praise, both within the art world and in society at large, while remaining ironically entangled in these very dynamics.

Awards serve as a form of social validation, affirming the legitimacy and value of individuals or organisations. From smiley-face stickers given to children for good behaviour to lifetime achievement awards, these tokens fulfil a fundamental human need: to feel seen, special and acknowledged. However, this recognition often comes with unintended consequences, fostering competition, comparison and a goal-oriented approach to life.

Kuuspu and Mudist share an interest in self-ironic and socially critical themes, which they often express through the performative activation of materials and conceptual approaches. They began collaborating in the context of Katariin’s exhibition Slugs Like Us at the HOP Gallery, which featured Keithy’s performance at the opening. The exhibition Unfortunately, You Were Not Selected This Time, accompanied by a performative Awards Gala at the Tartu Art House, was their second joint project. In June 2026, they also staged the Köler Prize gala at the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM).

Katariin Mudist (b. 1994) holds a master’s degree in contemporary art from the Estonian Academy of Arts (2022) and a bachelor’s degree in media and advertising design from the Pallas University of Applied Sciences (2018). She is a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association, the Estonian Association of Young Contemporary Artists and the Association of Estonian Printmakers. Her recent projects include Slugs Like Us at the HOP Gallery (2024), Sisters Have Sisterhood at the ARS Project Space with Johanna Mudist (2024), and participation in the Jeune Création Internationale exhibition as part of the Lyon Biennale (2026).

Keithy Kuuspu (b. 1994) is a Tallinn-based artist who works across performing arts, choreography and visual art. She holds a BA in choreography from the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School of Tallinn University, an MA in contemporary physical performance making (CPPM) from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and an MA in ceramics from the Estonian Academy of Arts.

Her most significant staged works include What Are Little Girls Made Of? (Kanuti Gildi SAAL, 2025, together with Liisa Saaremäel); PAUS ISTU MINE (STL, 2023, nominated for the Estonian Theatre Awards); the Estonian Pavilion Home Stage at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale (together with Liisa Saaremäel, B210); Body Slam (together with Liisa Saaremäel, ARS, 2022); and False Falling (STL, 2021, nominated for the Estonian Theatre Awards).

Exhibition design: Alden Jõgisuu
Technical team: Alden Jõgisuu, Piret Parrest, Hans-Otto Ojaste and Liisa-Lota Jõeleht
Exhibition text: written by the artists in collaboration with Laura Cemin
Graphic design: Katariin Mudist

Interviewees: Anu Vahtra, Elo Vahtrik, Elina Masing, Kaarin Kivirähk, Karli Luik, Kreete Verlin, Tõnu Õnnepalu, Urmas Lüüs and Annely Köster

Thank you:
Estonian Academy of Arts, Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM), Center for Contemporary Arts, Estonia (KKEK), Estonian Artists’ Association, Lauri Eltermaa, Alan Voodla, Anumai Raska, Terje Mudist, Krista Loorits, and everyone involved in the creation of the exhibition at the Tartu Art House!

The exhibition is supported by:
the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Põhjala Brewery and Punch Club

The gallery is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Liviko Ltd and the City of Tallinn.
The activities of the Tallinn City Gallery are managed by the Estonian Artists’ Association