Merike Männi

Artist's country of origin: Estonia

Merike Männi (1936 in Tallinn) is a renowned Estonian textile artist and art educator whose work has significantly shaped the local art scene and public space. She is best known for her large-scale woven tapestries, many of which have been commissioned for public institutions such as the Viru Hotel, Tallinn City Government, and Aravete Cultural Centre.

Männi graduated in 1961 from the State Art Institute of the Estonian SSR (now the Estonian Academy of Arts), specializing in textile art. She worked both as a freelance artist and later as a lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Arts, becoming a docent in 1993. Alongside her artistic career, she was also active in sports—winning the Estonian SSR youth championship in the 400m freestyle in 1950.

Her artistic career spans decades, with exhibitions in Estonia and internationally, including solo and group shows in Helsinki, Oulu, Stockholm, Schwerin, Tournai, Szombathely, Rättvik, and more. Her works have been featured in major international textile biennials and triennials.

Merike Männi has been a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association since 1967. In recognition of her contribution to Estonian textile art, she was named Textile Artist of the Year by the City of Tallinn in 1997 and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Estonian Textile Artists’ Association in 2012. She is praised for her passionate and virtuosic approach, blending clarity of composition with the charm of simplicity and a bold sense of execution.