Main exhibition Archives – Page 2 of 2 – Tallinna rakenduskunsti triennaal

The curator Stine Bidstrup has selected artists for the main exhibition of the 8th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial. 24 artists from the Nordic countries, the USA, the UK, the Netherlands, Estonia and Lithuania will be addressing the phenomenon of translucency, the main theme of the 8th Triennial. The selection includes seven Estonian artists.

Danish glass artist, art historian and educator Stine Bidstrup says the selected artists and designers represent some of the best practitioners within their fields with work characterized by strong conceptual exploration, playfulness and willingness to experiment. “The Triennial will showcase new and recent works that are created and exist across intersections between fine art, craft and design making these distinctions less important,” added the curator Stine Bidstrup.

“The curatorial theme of translucency is exemplified in a myriad ways through the work of the artists; translucency as a phenomenon, as an intermediate space inhabiting the space between the polar opposites of transparency and opacity, translucency in the use of language, in politics, creating ambiguity and complexity,” described Bidstrup her approach.

The exhibition will feature various fields, techniques and materials: glass, ceramics, clay, textile, garments, photography, sculpture, installation, jewellery, weaving, video, furniture, 3D-printing and digital design.

The Triennial’s main exhibition features the following artists from Estonia: Linda Aasaru, Eeva Käsper, Sandra Kosorotova, Julia Maria Künnap, Eve Margus-Villems, Helena Tuudelepp and Hanna-Maria Vanaküla.

Other participating artists include (in alphabetical order): Andrew Bearnot (USA), Phoebe Cummings (UK), Erin Dickson (UK), Ditte Hammerstrøm (Denmark), Heidi Bach Hentze (Denmark), Helen Lee (USA), Jiyong Lee (USA), Shari Mendelson (USA), Reinoud Oudshoorn (Netherlands), Julija Pociute (Lithuania), Anne Vibeke Mou (Denmark/UK), Sandra Vaka (Norway), Sissi Westerberg (Sweden), Karlyn Sutherland (UK), Grethe Sørensen (Denmark) and Wang & Söderström (Sweden/Denmark).

The main exhibition of the 8th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial “Translucency” opens at Kai Art Center in Port Noblessner in Tallinn (Estonia) on 28 May 2021 and welcomes visitors until 15 August 2021.

Tallinn Applied Art Triennial is an international art event established in 1997, organised by NGO Tallinn Applied Art Triennial Society. The Triennial contributes to the development of fields of applied art and contemporary craft.

Anu Almik

The next Tallinn Applied Art Triennial will be curated by Stine Bidstrup, a Danish glass artist and art historian, whose curatorial concept focuses on the phenomenon of translucency both in contemporary craft and in a broader social context. The 8th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial opens at Kai Art Center on 28 May 2021.

The main exhibition of the triennial titled “Translucency” is built around Stine Bidstrup’s curatorial concept and features around twenty artists. A quarter of the participating artists will be selected among Estonian artists during curatorial visits to Estonia in summer 2020.

Merle Kasonen, the chairwoman of the triennial, highlighted the curatorial concept’s resonance in various fields of applied art as well as its broader implications in the contemporary world. “As Stine pointed out, depending on the context, translucency can reveal what is hidden or conceal what is seemingly visible,” added Merle Kasonen.

For example, the curator expanded on how wide use and promotion of glass (and transparency) indicates power and economic surplus, but when transparency is proclaimed as a sign of openness in architecture or politics or elsewhere, it is more often than not a sign of opacity, of not being able to see what is really going on. Looking in and looking out do not take place on equal grounds – transparency on the surface can, in fact, hide hermetic power structures and hierarchies. However, opacity, too, can be of value and at times, truly necessary,” explains Stine Bidstrup, whose curatorial concept centres what is in-between the two extremities – translucency.

Stine Bidstrup is a Danish glass artist, educator and art historian whose work and research explores optical phenomena, and interprets and brings ideas about utopian, architectural visions to life through glass sculptures, installation and video. Her curiosity revolves around the power of perception and power of context and point of view in constructing our understanding through vision and how the human eye and mind are always engaged in myriad determinations and negotiations.

Bidstrup holds art degrees from The Rhode Island School of Design and The Royal Danish Academy of Art School of Design and a degree in art history from The University of Copenhagen. She has taught in Denmark and internationally. She maintains a studio in Copenhagen, goes to Småland Sweden to blow glass, and is represented by Heller Gallery in New York and FUMI Gallery in London.

The 8th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial opens at Kai Art Center in Port Noblessner on 28 May 2021 and will remain open to visitors until 15 August 2021.

Tallinn Applied Art Triennial is an international art event established in 1997, organised by NGO Tallinn Applied Art Triennial Society. The triennial contributes to the development of fields of applied art and contemporary craft.

Anu Almik

The 7th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial is coming to end, the main exhibition at the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design is open until 23 July. The last exhibition of the satellite programme, “The perfect landscape. Earth, wood, fire, water”, by ceramic artist Karin Kalman is open until the beginning of August.

Karin Kalman. The perfect landscape. Photo: Tiit Rammul

The exhibition, displaying wood firing, opens on Monday, 17 July at HOP Gallery (Hobusepea 2). The artist will exhibit a collage of works burnt in different firing kilns. The emphasis is on the interplay of unglazed surfaces, the work of fire, the use of different clays together and, for contrast’ sake, interposing these with white delicate porcelain pieces. The second part of the exhibition is made up of a series of wheel-thrown porcelain cups, fired over several years in different wood or gas kilns, displaying the widely divergent results one can get while using the same glazes.

The exhibition “The perfect landscape. Earth, wood, fire, water” will be open until 1 August.

The main exhibition of the triennial “Ajavahe. Time Difference” is open to visitors until 23 July, Wed–Sun, 11–18. This Saturday, 15 July at 12.00 everyone is welcome to take part in the last guided tour, led by inventor and textile artist Kadi Pajupuu. The tour is in Estonian and about an hour long. Entry with museum ticket, which also grants access to the new permanent exhibition on the second floor of the museum.

Anu Almik

The Grand Prix of the 7th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial was awarded to Belgian artist Octave Vandeweghe for his series of objects “Cultured Manners”. The second place went to Villu Plink and Silja Saarepuu from Estonia and the third prize was won by Lithuanian artists Jurgita Erminaité-Šimkuvienéle.

All three prize winners clearly present the leading idea of the main exhibition, time difference. They all showcase engagement with the past, present and future; all works make visible also the geological time. The jury appreciated the quality of the craft and the merging of idea, materials and a humorous approach.

The series of utensils made of polished precious stones titled “Cultured manners” by Belgian artist Octave Vandeweghe. Photo: Liina Lelov

The series of utensils made of polished precious stones titled “Cultured manners” by Belgian artist Octave Vandeweghe verges on the lines of functionality and beauty. In the words of the jury, it brings together hi-tech and low-tech, synthetic and natural. “The work presents hints to functionality, at the same time being impractical, and it also contains tension between made and found objects,” said the international jury. In the series Ocatve Vandeweghe uses citrine, phantom quartz and verneuil sapphire.

A still frame from the video “Carpet”. Authors Villu Plink and Silja Saarepuu.

The second prize was awarded to Villu Plink and Silja Saarepuu for their video “Carpet” showing the endless process of ploughing a field into a carpet. “It is a whimsical, light hearted, grounded work with multiple layers that also brings together traditional and modern techniques and media,” remarked the jury. This work also received the Purchase Prize of the Estonian Applied Art and Design Museum, which means the video will be bought for the museum’s collection.

Jurgita Erminaité-Šimkuvienét “It’s Only a Question of Time”. Photo: author

The third award was given to Lithuanian artist Jurgita Erminaité-Šimkuvienét, whose amber flypaper is titled “It’s Only a Question of Time”. The jury observed that the essence of this usually dirt-attracting everyday object is well captured and at the time transformed into something precious. “As the amber also contains ancient insects in its bubbles, the theme of capture is bringing different time scales together into a beautiful whole,” remarked the jury.

The jury was made up of Norwegian art critic and editor André Gali, Finnish jewellery artist and manager of Fine Arts in the Saimaa University of Applied Sciences Eija Mustonen, glass artist and Assistant Professor of Sculpture in the art field group at Pitzer College (USA) Sarah Gilbert, philosopher, critic and lecturer Eik Hermann and gallerist, translator and writer Keiu Krikmann from Estonia.

The grand prix included an award fund of 2500€, the second and third prize respectively 1500€ and 1000€.

The main exhibition of 7th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial “Ajavahe. Time Difference” at the Estonian Museum Applied Art and Design (Lai 17, Tallinn) is open until 23 July. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 11–18, closed on Monday and Tuesday and Estonian national holidays.

Anu Almik

Out of the 256 applications submitted to the open call the jury chose 50 artists to participate in the main exhibition of the 7th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial, “Ajavahe. Time Difference” opening on 21 April, 2017. We welcomed works that related to the topics of time, tempo, different notions of and approaches to time. The open call received applications from 32 countries, the final selection includes artists from 19 countries: Estonia, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Israel, USA, Latvia, Lithuania, Spain, China, Switzerland, Taiwan and France.

We are happy to publish the list of artists chosen by the jury:
Naama Agassi, Ulla Ahola, Monika Auch, Beverly Ayling-Smith, Sofia Björkman, Chloe Brenan, Lin Chang-Rong, Eunmi Chun, Sara Chyan, Johanna Dahm, Hilde A Danielsen, Patricia Domingues, Jurgita Erminaitė-Šimkuvienė, Sabin Garea, Ellen Grieg, Adam Grinovich, Dainis Gudovskis, Kay Guo, Anita Hanch-Hansen, Maarit Helistvee, Nils Hint, Trine Hovden, Katrin Kabun, Pille Kaleviste, Joshua Kosker, Eero Kotli, Riikka Latva-Somppi, Thérèse Lebrun, Krista Leesi, Felieke van der Leest, Jaakko Leeve, Ivo Lill, Nanna Melland, Johanne Ness and Hanne Overland, Silja Saarepuu ja Villu Plink, Lucy Sarneel, Debra Sloan , Céline Sylvestre, Aet Ollisaar, OTSE! and A5 (Nils Hint, Annika Kedelauk, Rainer Kaasik-Aaslav, Annika Pettersson, and Adam Grinovich), Yuka Oyama, Ruudt Peters, Annelies Planteijdt, Edu Tarin (in collaboration with Klein & Becker GmbH & Co), Octave Vandeweghe, Tanel Veenre, Estela Saez Vilanova, Lin Wang, Hedvig Winge, Kiyoshi Yamamoto.

Members of the jury are art critic and editor André Gali from Norway, artist and educator Sarah Gilbert from USA, philosopher, critic and lecturer Eik Hermann from Estonia, gallerist, writer, translator and lecturer Keiu Krikmann from Estonia and jewellery artist, Program Manager of Fine Arts of the Saimaa University of Applied Sciences and lecturer Eija Mustonen from Finland.

Commenting on the decision-making process, the chairman of the jury, André Gali said: “Obviously we looked for qualities like good concepts relating to the theme of «Time Difference», innovative use of materials, exciting shapes and colours, but also how the works would relate to each other as a whole. We looked for diversity, in scale, in material, in artistic approach and attitude, and we looked for works that can evoke interesting conversations between themselves and with the viewer.”

The main exhibition of the Triennial on the theme “Ajavahe. Time Difference” will take place from 21 April 2017 to 23 July 2017 at the Estonian Museum of Applied Arts and Design in Tallinn, Estonia. A Grand Prix and two equal second place prizes will be awarded. The winners will be announced at the exhibition opening on 21 April 2017. The exhibition prize fund is 5000 euros. Additionally, the programme of the triennial includes a seminar, satellite exhibitions and a day of artist presentations.

Anu Almik

Open call for the main exhibition of the 7th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial was closed October 10th. 256 works/series of works were submitted altogether by 243 artists/designers from 32 countries. In the coming days an international five-member jury is going to gather in Tallinn to select the works for the main exhibition amongst the submissions.

Members of the jury are an art critic and editor André Gali from Norway, an artist and educator Sarah Gilbert from USA, a philosopher, critic and lecturer Eik Hermann from Estonia, a gallerist, writer, translator and lecturer Keiu Krikmann from Estonia and a jewellery artist and lecturer Eija Mustonen from Finland. The selection of the works is anonymous and the applicants will be notified about the jury’s decision by 21 November 2016.

Individuals and groups from all fields of applied art and design were invited to take part in the open call for the main exhibition. Works in both digital and physical form that deal with topics relating to time, tempo, different notions of time, and approaches to time were welcome.

Anu Almik

In spring 2017, the 7th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial will once again invite applied arts and design professionals and fans to Estonia. The topic of the Triennial, taking place from the 21st of April until the 23rd of July, is “Ajavahe. Time Difference”, encompassing time and the different ways of perceiving it. The curatorial team of the Triennial asks artists and designers to explore whether people really are overwhelmed by the apparent overabundance of information and how they deal with it, how they perceive time and deal with extremely fast-paced life. To allow participants more time, the deadline of the open call for artists and designers to participate in the Main Exhibition of the Triennial has been extended from September 30th to 10th October 10th, 2016.

According to Merle Kasonen, the chairwoman of the Triennial, extensive time expenditure and the meaningful use of it is definitely one of the features that binds together various fields of applied art. “The current point in time seems to be a crossroad of two world views. Fast fashion and other types of fast consumption are starting to seem outdated – at least in the eyes of the responsible persons trying to see the bigger picture – and people are looking for new paths and directions. Both slowness (falling behind) and speed (extreme superficiality) have acquired equally negative connotations. At the same time, the sense of time is subjective – and this is what we invite artists and designers to explore,” Kasonen explains.

Until October 10th, the open call for the Main Exhibition of the Triennial is open to individuals and groups from all fields of applied art and design. Works in both digital and physical form, dealing with topics relating to time, tempo, different notions of time, and approaches to time are welcome. More information about the open call of the Main Exhibition can be found here. Works can be submitted digitally via Defolio.

Tallinn Applied Art Triennial is an international art event established in 1979. The goal of the Triennial is to offer new, topical and unexpected focus, which will serve to help examine contemporary applied art and design practices on as broad scale as possible. Every Triennial has new format and theme, but it has always been centered around the main exhibition with additional events and happenings supporting and explaining its main topic.

The triennial is organized by NGO Tallinn Applied Art Triennial Society.

Press contact:

Merle Kasonen
Chairwoman
Tallinn Applied Art Triennial Society
merle@trtr.ee
+372 528 1637

Anu Almik

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The participants of the main exhibition have been selected

Open call of the main exhibition received 256 works

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