On Thursday, October 3, 2024, at 5 PM, Tiina Sarapu’s exhibition Dark Ground will open at HOP Gallery. The curator of the exhibition is Maarja Mäemets. Dark Ground will be open until October 29, 2024.

Through furrows, layers, ditches, and veins the Dark ground runs across the horizon like an empty field. It is a transitional space, holding within it all possibilities. A realm that extends deeper than three-dimensionality. The exhibition Dark Ground is the materialization of a year-long conversation between artist Tiina Sarapu and curator Maarja Mäemets. Their shared discussions, sparked by an interest in the possibilities and significance of physical space in artistic practices, led to a search for deeper roots. The Earth is the foundation, the unnoticed bearer whose limits are constantly tested by human hands. It is the fertile ground for rooting possibilities and hope. With Sarapu’s characteristic precision and boldness, she peers with an X-ray gaze through this multi-layered complexity, trusting her creations to carry herself into unknown places.

Tiina Sarapu (b. 1971) is an Estonian conceptual glass artist whose work is characterised by minimalist form language and refined execution. In recent years, she has primarily focused on installations, creating pieces that explore the possibilities of space and expand the viewer’s perception. Sarapu obtained her master’s degree in glass art from the Estonian Academy of Arts in 1996 and has worked for many years as a lecturer and associate professor. Her works have received international recognition and are included in the collections of several museums and private collectors. Sarapu has been awarded the Kristjan Raud Prize (2007, 2023) and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia Annual Prize (2019). From 2021 to 2023, Tiina Sarapu was a recipient of the Artist laureate salary.

Maarja Mäemets (b. 1991) is an Estonian artist and curator whose work reflects themes of strength and hope. She graduated from the Estonian Academy of Arts with a degree in glass art (BA 2015, MA 2018) and is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in the Craft Studies program. Mäemets focuses primarily on site-specific installations, where material choices are made intuitively and carry dense narratives and symbols. The artist has received several significant awards and has been participating in international exhibitions since 2015. She made her curatorial debut in 2020 as the main organiser of the Estonian Glass Artists Association’s annual exhibition “Colour – Red.”

The exhibition Dark Ground is part of the Tallinn Applied Art Triennial satellite program.
Special thanks to: Cultural Endowment of Estonia, MUSHEEZ, MIRON Violetglass, Klaasissepa OÜ, ECCOM OÜ
Graphic design: Meelis Mikker
Exhibitions in HOP gallery are supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Ministry of Culture and Liviko Ltd.
Additional information:
Maria Valdma-Härm
+372 511 2350
HOP Gallery
Hobusepea 2, 10133 Tallinn
Wed–Thu 11:00–18:00

On Tuesday, September 17th at 18:00, exhibition “Biological Idiosyncrasies” by Kati Kerstna and Kairi Orgusaar will be opened at the Okapi Gallery as part of Design Night.

Botanical forms and structures display infinite variation. On one hand, there is the admirable, architectural orderliness, while elsewhere, one finds zany, inspiring chaos. Yet, neither is without purpose – even unknown to us, every detail, every biome has a reason for being the way it is.
In our new light objects, we hope to achieve something similar – to set predefined patterns of light, build glass structures and supportive framework that the light can play off of, then enliven them with wacky, quasi-biological constructs whose inner logic remains undeciphered.

We’re excited to announce that we’re heading back to New York for an extraordinary week of fashion and sustainability during New York Fashion Week (@nyfw)
From September 12-14, we will be part of @thecanvasnyc x @estoniandesignhouse collaboration, bringing 16 innovative Estonian brands to the heart of the Big Apple:
​
Reet Aus
​Iris Janvier
​Xenia Joost
​Studio August
​Karlotta
​Piret Loog
​Kalli Sein (Ideeklaas)
​EGG Laura Saks
​Sile Luik
Killud
Anne-Liis Leht (​HYTI)
​Igor Volkov
Sandra Luks
​Juhan Soomets
​Tarmo Luisk
​Kairi Lentsius
A Week of Events at The Canvas 3.0 @thecanvas3.0
This collaboration with The Canvas 3.0, located in The Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center, is more than just a showcase of cutting-edge design. It’s a celebration of sustainable fashion, where innovation meets responsibility, and tradition meets forward-thinking.
We’re thrilled to return to New York and share our journey in sustainable fashion
12th September, 2024 NYFW Launch Party – Fashion & Design Diplomacy
Join us for an evening of fashion diplomacy, celebrating the intersection of Estonian design and global fashion trends. This launch party will kick off our exciting week at The Canvas with an evening dedicated to the future of fashion.
13th September, 2024 All Day: Open House at The Canvas 3.0. Explore the world of Estonian design throughout the day.
At 6 pm, there will be a special screening and talk featuring the documentary “Out of Fashion,” by Reet Aus, a pioneer in sustainable fashion. This is a unique opportunity to engage with thought leaders and creatives who are shaping the future of the industry.
14th September, 2024 Sustainability Talk with Reet Aus
Don’t miss this insightful discussion on sustainability in fashion. Reet Aus will share her expertise on UPMADE®, Digital Product Passports, and other groundbreaking initiatives that are setting new standards in the fashion industry.
RSVP https://lu.ma/calendar/cal-8pBzUbxu1rqFgsw
Kajastusi:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/nadjasayej/2024/09/11/the-canvas-nyc-celebrate-sustainable-fashion-design-from-estonia/

IMAGINE
Glass and print exhibition
ARS Project Space, Pärnu mnt. 154, Tallinn
13.09. – 4.10. 2024 Mon-Fri 12-18
Opening Sept. 12. at 17.00
Artists: Sofi Aršas, Britta Benno, Sirje Eelma, Maria Erikson, Anu Juurak, Erki Kannus, Merle Kannus, Kati Kerstna, Kai Kiudsoo-Värv, Maarja Mäemets, Pilvi Ojamaa, Kairi Orgusaar, Rait Prääts, Kerttu Rannik, Lembe Ruben, Torsten Rötzch, Maret Sarapu, Tiina Sarapu, Liina Siib, Eili Soon, Andres Tali, Helen Tago, Kadri Toom, Mirjam Varik

The ARS Project Space will become a venue for an experiment in which masters of glass art and printmaking will join forces to search for common ground. We can observe ways in which an image takes shape in either medium, and ask ourselves whether a pipe can sometimes be just that – a pipe. Some of the more daring participants have crossed the divide between disciplines and ventured out into unknown territory.
The two fields appear to have a lot in common. Glass and print get along just as a label sticks to a bottle. Both are mediated by complex technological practices – physical and chemical forces become co-authors in the creative process. Fire and water, sand,
sunshine, light and shadow, melting and etching, happy accidents and Nature’s intervention can all overturn the artist’s initial plans. Do we have free will or are we led by the inevitable?
Glass is a chameleon, smoothly transitioning from being the star of the show to modestly framing a masterpiece to underlying an image as an invisible canvas. Glass objects and framed prints reflect the viewers’ own images back to them while they search for their own metaphors in the artwork.
Imagination, formless at first, eventually takes shape, becoming visible through the artist’s hand. At some point, imagination crystallizes into a fixed entity but its final form comes about through the reflection of the state of the world upon it. Where then is the artist and what is their image?

Curators: Merle Kannus, Lembe Ruben
Exhibition Design: Merle Kannus
Graphic Design: Lembe Ruben
Lighting: Kati Kerstna
Installation Work: Ian Simon Märjama, Erki Kannus
Initial Idea: Rait Prääts, Sirje Eelma
Thanks to: Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Glass Artists’ Union, Association of Estonian Printmakers, Estonian Artists’ Association

On August 9, 2024, Kai Kiudsoo-Värv displayed her recent stained glass work created for the Dominican Santa Sabina convent at Rome, Italy.

The paintings depict eleven notable figures of the Dominican order, including some saints and martyres.

Birgit Pählapuu won silver award at the recent Toyama International glass exhibition with her work “Rebellion of the Flies.” Congratulations!

Eeva Käsper
IN SILENCE
HOP Gallery, Tallinn, May 17–June 11, 2024

Eeva Käsper’s exhibition In Silence opened at HOP gallery on May 17th, 2024.

Glass artist Eeva Käsper’s glass sculptures and mirror photographs summarise her work of the past year, with the small glimpses into the past. At the same time, the material for these works has accumulated over the past six years during which the artist has lived in South Estonia. She describes her daily life and creative process as follows:

Living in harmony with nature is different from urban life. It is being enchanted by natural phenomena and the seasons, both fearing and enjoying the power and inevitability. Everything is constantly changing, and yet I am always aware of how the cycle of nature repeats itself year after year. The photograph, as a record of a single moment in time, enables one to be in a state of flux through the reflections of glass and light in the gallery space, unfolding in many different ways. Evening light, patterns, traces, air, repetition. Peace of mind, silent drifting, pause, absorption, isolation. Beauty, contentment, clarity of senses.

Külliki Saldre has stated in one of the interviews: “Pause, silence, the opportunity to perceive what you are feeling – this is one of the most beautiful things. To listen what you are thinking.”
Pause and presence – for listening and contemplation, to reach closer to yourself.

Such sensuality is reflected in the interplay of light and artwork at the exhibition – and in the symbiosis of perception and superior craftsmanship in glass art.

Eeva Käsper graduated from the department of glass art at the Estonian Academy of Arts in 1998. After defending Master’s degree in 2003, she worked as an assistant and lecturer in the same department until 2015. She is one of the founders of the Klaasiklubi studio (2009) and the owner of Serene PLC glass studio in South Estonia (2018). Eeva Käsper has participated in exhibitions, conferences and symposia in numerous countries in Europe, as well as in Turkey and Korea. Her work has been recognized in several international competitions and has been acquired to the collections of institutions and private collectors.

Graphic design of the exhibition: Meelis Mikker
Exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
Exhibitions in HOP gallery are supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Ministry of Culture and Liviko Ltd.
Thank you: Tsenter, Serene OÜ, Raimond Russak, Veiko Iliste, Hans-Otto Ojaste.

HOP gallery
Hobusepea 2, 10133 Tallinn
N–T 11.00–18.00
hopgalerii.ee

TᕼIᖇᔕT Iᑎ ᗷEᖇᒪIᑎ
Berlin Design Week 27.04.–5.05.
The inspiration behind the TᕼIᖇᔕT series is rooted in the metaphor of nurturing and growth. It symbolizes the act of watering aspects of life that are deserving of attention and cultivation. TᕼIᖇᔕT serves as a reminder to remain present, embrace abundance, and courageously pursue a life filled with purpose and meaning. Watering becomes a sacred ritual.
The series exemplifies the power of collective flow, craftsmanship, and creative vision, offering both functionality and aesthetic appeal in everyday objects.
Watering cans are the result of a collaboration with glassblowers Aleksandra Ehrensvärd and Martin Ehrensvärd from Stockholms Glasbruk studio in Sweden.
The visual aesthetics and conceptual composition are cultivated through a unique collaboration with photographer Triinu Kööba.

Erki Kannus
GLASS BODY
Okapi gallery
5-27.04.2024

Erki Kannus’s exhibition “Glass Body” explores the transformation of the intimate human body into a sterile glass object. The exhibit consists of two glass installations: an interactive sound instrument “Evening Milk” and “No Name – Time After” – a series of nudes drawn with hot glass.

“No Name – Time After” contemplates the fragility of the biological body, painting a dystopian picture of a post-nuclear-war world. Also included is a video of the artist’s creative/destructive process.

“Evening Milk” conveys a calm, almost pastoral late afternoon mood, where the ponderous sounds of a harmonica, the babbling of water, and the clinking of buckets can be heard. The audience can move organic-looking glass objects up and down in water, producing a meditative soundscape.

Sponsored by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

Simone Fezer / Kati Kerstna / Kai Koppel
CONFLATIONS
RaplaCounty Centre for Contemporary Art
7-31.03.2024

Conflation: the act or process of combining two or more separate things into one whole, especially pieces of text or idea.

The world is multi-faceted, with its plethora of opinions, viewpoints, cultures, races, religions, in various stages of amalgamation. Sometimes, it feels like there isn’t enough space to accommodate them all. In tight spots, as we collide with each other, we become aware that our perspective is not the only one; neither is it the only correct one. To continue our existence, we need to change – to choose whether to limit ourselves to our own bubble, or to react with force and violence, or, perhaps, try to understand and accept the possibility – and necessity – for different angles and strata.

Differences can enrich our world, make it more exciting and alive. Attempts at understanding can elicit bafflement, curiosity, recognition; if not always delight, then at least a peace of mind – a feeling of liberation that comes from allowing the world to be more than a monoculture made up of clones.

In our conflations, we study and reveal different strata (of culture? of existence?), their past and future, their interactions and confluences.

Simone Fezer is a German artist working with glass, performances and installations.

On extensive travels, she has worked as assistant to renowned artists and studied at various international schools such as the Penland School of Crafts, and Centro Studio Vetro in Italy. She had a residency at the Tacoma Museum of Glass in Washington, USA in 2016, and at Gallery S12 in Bergen, Norway in 2020. In 2019, she was awarded the Irvin Borowsky International Award of the University of Arts, Philadelphia. She has a Teaching Assignment for Sculptural Glass at the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart, Germany, and exhibits her mostly large-scale installations in Glass and Mixed Media nationally and internationally.
In her work, Simone Fezer addresses the fragility and interdependency of all life, and aims to create interdisciplinary and immersive environments. She likes to collaborate with other artists, bringing together installation, performance and multi-media, creating stages for the viewer to enter and explore. https://simonefezer.com/

Kai Koppel is a daring experimenter in the field of hot glass, working with the medium since 1975. Her early works included spatial glass objects. During the 1980s, as a young artist, she opposed the rational, geometric conventions of design with her own Dionysian method, based on the expressive randomness of hot glass. Instead of form following function, and contrary to consumerism, she drew inspiration from symbolic imagery, from nature, from ancient architecture; she became known for her large, columnar forms that took on the appearance of architectonics. She is a process-oriented artist for whom the physical involvement with the material and technology is essential. http://kaikoppel.ee/

Kati Kerstna is a socially sensitive artist with a focus on environmental topics. She likes to visualise her topics via the contradictory nature of glass. Walking the border between fragility and strength, playing with transparency, reflections, light and optics are some of her tools. Her creations are sculptural installations which draw attention to both space and form, and their illusoriness. She has been active as a curator whose endeavours have brought attention to Estonian glass art in the world. Currently, she is co-curating exhibitions of Baltic glass art. Together with Kai Koppel and Simone Fezer, she has contributed to the organisation of the Haapsalu hot glass symposia. http://katikerstna.ee/