Elle May Palumäe 'Back˂'

The exhibition by graphic artist Elle May Palumäe captures the moment just before the decision to move forward or turn back

KUNSTIAKEN, a gallery specialising in applied art and printmaking in Tallinn’s Old Town, presents in the display window the work of Canadian-born Estonian printmaker Elle May Palumäe.

The exhibition “Back˂” focuses on that almost imperceptible moment before movement — before the decision is taken to go forward or turn back. In a world fixated on progress, turning back or indulging in nostalgia may sometimes carry a faintly negative undertone — in the 17th century even considered a deadly illness treated with opium and leeches — today, restlessness may lead some to look back and long for a time they have never even experienced. This exhibition seeks to embrace and celebrate pivotal instants in life and to bring the moment itself into focus.

Palumäe combines and explores printmaking techniques, seeking moments, rhythms, and positive energy. The exhibition features works in various techniques: colour-saturated viscosity prints sing upward to black-and-white aquatints, drypoints, and mokulito pieces. The works however speak the same language as they mark that fraction of a second before movement.

Elle May Palumäe (b. 1969) is a Canadian-born artist. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Visual Art Studio (1994) and continued her studies at Toronto Open Studios and later in Estonia at Muhu Print. She has worked as a designer and has compiled, designed, and curated major survey exhibitions shown in museums across Estonia and North America. Since 2023, she has been an active member of the Association of Estonian Printmakers and a freelance artist, and since 2026, a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association.

In her artistic practice, Palumäe articulates phenomena that reside on the level of feeling. Through the diverse and often intricate techniques of printmaking, she seeks to express the electricity of emotion and perception — whether through the expressiveness of line or the stillness of being.

The exhibition is on display until October 29, 2026

Acknowledgment: Ott Jaagup Palumäe

KUNSTIAKEN Gallery has been operating since 2010 in Tallinn’s Old Town, on the corner of Vene and Munga Streets. It offers a representative selection of works by Estonian glass, leather and textile artists, as well as ceramics, fashion art, jewellery and prints. By chance, the gallery’s opening day fell on 18 October, which is St Luke’s Day – the patron saint of artists, amongst others.