Tallinn Art Week kicks off with a full day of action on the main square of Tallinn, offering everyone something to explore and enjoy. The art showcase is one of the largest open air exhibitions in Estonia, giving everyone not only a chance to dive head first into art and culture, but express their own creativity as well. Top Estonian artists, art organisations and galleries will be on the square, presenting their activities.

During the day performances, workshops and meet-ups with artists will take place. Plenty of new art and creative ideas shall also be born!

The art showcase will be opened by head organiser Andra Orn at 12:00

Head organiser Andra Orn will offer insights into this year's theme – “Playing God? The future of humanity…” – while also introducing a selection of the exhibitions and events happening during the week.

The highlight of this year's Tallinn Art Week’s is the massive exhibition “Cathedral for Technology” that occupies an expansive new space at the Noblessner Shipyard.

“Cathedral for Technology” sheds light on the nature of humankind from a future perspective. What will we become? What will technology and consumerism turn us into? How will we define humanity in the future? The exhibition is directly related to the festival theme: “Playing God? The future of humanity…”

This discourse is opened up using major pieces by various artists, including “Memopol part III” by internationally recognised artist Timo Toots.

In addition to work by Toots, the exhibition presents works by Taavi Suisalu, Noolegrupp, Alina Orav, Juhan Soomets, Peeter Laurits, Ignas Pavliukevicius, Kiwa, Erki Kasemets, Riina Varol and others.

Open until 16 June.

The discussion brings together the different views and visions of philosophers, artists and technology experts. The panellists will talk about the future prospects for the country in terms of decreasing bureaucracy and innovative solutions. Do we still need a country as an institution? Could technology solve these problems? Could Estonia be the first country in the world to try to redefine its function using technological solutions?

Raul Oreškin and Kaili Kase are part of a duo that has, for a long time now, invested a lot of energy into organizing apartment exhibitions. During Tallinn Art Week they are coming to the capital again to make themselves comfortable in Raua Street in Kadriorg – the birth place of well-known architect Vilen Künnapu. Along with Vilen's work, paintings by his son August Künnapu will also be displayed. In this combined exhibition, they will make a special father-son duo.

Everyone interested in experiencing art in an alternative and intimate environment is welcome.

Tuesday is time for a progressive tour full of art – various unique galleries around Tallinn will be visited while also taking in all the interesting things events along the way. During the Tallinn Tuesdays gallery tour, you'll get a good snapshot of contemporary art in Estonia.

You can participate without a bike if you can get to the gallery you are interested in at the right time

Galleries visited during the tour: Estonian Academy of Arts gallery, Haus gallery, ArtDepoo, Voronja apartment exhibition, Temnikova&Kasela gallery, Vaal gallery

16:00 Tallinn Art Hall
Spring exhibition public prize award ceremony

17:00 Estonian Academy of Arts gallery
Graduation exhibition by students of the Department of Graphic Design at the Estonian Academy of Arts

17:30 Haus gallery
International group exhibition EMPIRE II Opening of EMPIRE II by a group of British artists. The premiere of EMPIRE II took place last year at the Venice Biennial. It has been touring around the world in relation to the UK’s satellite programme and is now presented here in Estonia.

18:15 ArtDepoo
Exhibition by Jaanika Peerna

19:00 Voronja Gallery
apartment exhibition on Raua Street

19:45 Temnikova & Kasela Gallery
Exhibition by Flo Kasearu

20:30 Vaal
Exhibition by Kristel Saan

The Tallinn Tuesdays gallery tour is organized by the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center.

This programme brings together Baltic Film and Media School student works related to the main theme “Playing God? The future of humanity…”. In addition to the film programme, a diverse exhibition of works by music, art and dance students is also being presented at the Baltic Film and Media School television studio.

The keywords for the first day of films are: "god", "humanity", "superhuman" and "health". Where are humans heading? What should we believe in? The films show us how we can hope rather than believe. How difficult is it to hide from ourselves or to concede our reality to ourselves? A book titled “Põrgupõhja uus vanapagan” as well as some stories from the bible are given a new and slightly absurd form.

Films screened include:
“Suurde avarusse”/Into the vast expanse” (director Kaur Kokk, 2009)
“12 küsimust: Millesse eestlased usuvad?”/12 questions: What do Estonians believe in??” (director Indrek Kaine, 2014)
“Deus ex Machina” (director Eik Tammemäe, 2010)
“Üle müüri”/ Over the wall)” (director Eret Kuusk, 2016)
“Pjotr, 68” (director Ivan Pavjutskov, 2009)
“Ninja” (director Jaan Tätte jr, 2010)
“Legend vägevast seebist”/ The Legend of the Mighty Soap” (director Andrew Bond, 2011)

Tallinn Art Week gives a lot of attention to the young artists starting their creative journey. The Estonian Academy of Arts graduation exhibition TASE presents the work of masters and bachelor degree graduates, public defence sessions and some solo and group exhibitions. This is a great opportunity to get to know some new young talents. This year TASE takes place at the Estonian Academy of Arts fine arts department at Lembitu 10, Tallinn.

Exhibition is open from 30 May to 13 June.

The Polymer arts community conceals a lot of creative initiative within its walls; during Tallinn Art Week it will be possible to see what goes on inside this community. A number of contemporary artists reside at Polymer, and guests will be allowed to peek inside the studios and creative spaces where the artists work and live. You can see how art is born and how the industrial surroundings can inspire the creative process.

TIMETABLE:
15:00 – 19:00 Open studios “People from the Other Side”
The studios are being shown to guests by the artists themselves. You can see creative projects in progress and get a glimpse of the everyday life of the artists. You can ask questions and see what this creative complex is all about.
The evening is curated by Niina-Anneli Kaarnamo, an artist of Finnish origin, who has been present in the Estonian cultural field for a long time.

A new exhibition will be on show at Gallery 3.14 at Polymer.

Discussion night.

Jaanika Peerna, an artist living in New York but raised in Estonia, brings a new version of her project "Liustike Eleegia" (Eulogy to a Glacier) to her home country. The work has been developed in various places around the world and consists of hundred small elements made using drawing and cutting plastic paper. It all comes together as an installation and performance brought to life with the help of the audience.

The project takes place in two separate parts, starting at ArtDepoo as part of Tallinn Art Week and then moving to Võru Art Centre (in south Estonia). The title “Liustike Eleegia” gives a sense of the concept: Peerna in concerned about the disappearance of the polar ice due to climate change, and she expresses this concern in her own characteristic manner. In broader terms, the project can be seen as the development of an empathic relationship with nature, both individually and with the audience.

Discussion night.

During the second session, the keywords are "human-machine". Two of the movies that will be shown have been made collectively by all the students in the film course. The lines between reality and virtual reality are blurred. There will be robots, criticisms of e-state, memory and preservation. How can we build an identity and measure humanity in a world of such rapid technological development?

Films screened include:
“12 küsimust: Ülemiste Vanake/ The Little Old Man of Ülemiste” (director Jürgen Moor, 2014)
“12 küsimust: Error/12 questions: Error” (director Joosep Ehasalu, 2014) )
“12 küsimust: Oleme pilves/12 questions: We are in the Cloud” (director Andri Allas, 2014)
“Formaat/ Format” (director Tarvi Roos, 2017)
“2084: Mälukrambid/2084: Memory Cramps” (different directors, 2013)

Thursday evening can be enjoyed at an art market, where a lot of interesting things have been prepared by creative locals. Good food and drinks make this a cosy event. If the weather is good, the art market will be held outdoors.

At the same time the Sveta House Summer Exhibition will be opened!

Niina-Anneli Kaarnamo ties the art market together; the event is also a follow-up to the Polymer open studio that took place the previous day.

Discussion night.

In the third session female directors reign: Monika Siimets, Anna Hints and Triin Ruumet have recently touched a lot people with their films. In this session you can see what their ideas were like during their studies. The main theme is self-realization and development in a foreign environment and idealism developing into realism. At the same time there is a desire to prolong the sweetness of childhood as well as dreams of falling in love. How to be happy?

“Kevad a’la carte/ Spring a’la carte” (director Doris Tääker, 2013)
“Diana ja linn”/ Diana and the City” (director Triin Ruumet, 2013)
“Unistaja/ Dreamer” (director Baiba Jakubaita, 2013)
“Puhata ja mängida/ Clean and Play” (director Heleri Saarik, 2007)
“Õnne manifest/Happiness Maifesto)” (director Anna Hints, 2014)
“Viimane Romeo/ The Last Romeo” (director Moonika Siimets, 2013)

The ARS Art Factory plays an important role in the capital, offering creative spaces for people in the decorative arts, design and contemporary art. ARS functions like an art campus that supports the realization and professional development of artists. The creatives and artists at the ARS Art Factory will open their doors so visitors to see their work.

You can see what the artists are up to, take part in various workshops and discussions to get a sense of the artists' "unusual" lifestyle. The visitors can explore what it means to live on an art campus, how does working side by side affect their work and what it feels like to be in this kind of environment.

After a packed week, Tallinn Art Week 2018 can enjoy a dignified ending at the Old Noblessner Shipyard, where the exhibition “Cathedral for Technology” is open for the last day. The afternoon is filled with exciting events and performances to bring the week to a close.

Haus gallery presents performances in relation to British art project EMPIRE II:

Susana Sanroman “To waste or not to waste” – premiere performance! Interactive performance, where the artist expresses her consumer and waste management behaviour through costumes. In this way the author points towards the effects of consumerism: "The planet has been occupied by post-industrial and post capitalistic forces, and a new generation with technological and progressive benefits is changing and affecting the Earth a lot more than ever before. We are just one species among others, but at the same time we are also the criminals and the victims." Artist Susana Sanroman sees the problem of garbage as proof of how playing God leads us to enslaving ourselves.

Susana Sanroman is an artist and curator of Spanish origin, who lives and works in London. She works with photography based projects and in 2016 was nominated for the environment photography award along with an exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society.

Will Kerr “Playing God – 24 Gestures” – Premiere 2017 During the performance lasting fifteen minutes the artist creates 24 separate works and then destroys them in order to symbolize the creator's power over the creation.

Will Kerr is a Portuguese-American artist living in Brussels. With a degree in philosophy from Washington University, Kerr is a self-taught painter, who works with moving pictures and empowered reality. His works investigate phenomena from history, the space between perception and understanding and interactions between memory and consciousness.