“Tartu-Pärnu-Tartu Art Express” is a collaborative project between the Tartu Artists’ Union and the Pärnu City Gallery which brings together art from the two Estonian cities. The cities are geographically far apart, but artistically they are close. The aim of the project is to diversify the cultural life of the two cities: the Pärnu City Gallery organised the “Pärnu Art Summer” in Tartu and the Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 is now visiting Pärnu.
The exhibition “Simple Choices” (curated by Peeter Talvistu) at the Tex-Mex Gallery (Akadeemia 5) finds inspiration in summer and its inherent lightness. In summer, we enjoy reading crime fiction on the beach and don’t always want to ponder difficult questions in the exhibition hall. “Simple Choices” is based on one of the basic contrasts of visual culture: colour and the lack of it. It is as simple as that.
The artists participating in the exhibition “Colour and Freedom” (curated by Maris Tuuling) at the Endla Theatre Gallery, Endla Küün Gallery and the theatre café are brought together by the Konrad Mägi Studio in Tartu. Between 1988 and 2016, all of them have received painting lessons based on the traditions of the Pallas Art School under the old masters Kaja Kärner and Heldur Viires. With this foundation, each has moved forward in their own direction. This exhibition is an opportunity to see which path and pace someone has chosen.
The exhibition “Accentuations” (curated by Veiko Klemmer) at the Pärnu City Gallery in the Town Hall will showcase the various groups among the members of the Tartu Artists’ Union and a couple of invited guests. Punk-ethno-naivism, industrial-romanticism, colourful realism flirting with pop art and landscape paintings of varying degrees of abstraction have come together.The exhibition “Who’s in the Garden?” (curated by Kalli Kalde) at the Artists’ House of the Pärnu City Gallery asks questions that only visitors know the answers to: Who is in the garden? Do you want to be a flower or a bird or a gardener? Are you inside or outside the garden? Do you want to surround yourself with a visible or invisible fence? Do we find meaning in life by fencing unknown territories or crossing borders?
The HØØD bar offers Ove Maidla’s solo exhibition “A Dream of a Motacilla Flava” which features works from the early 2000s using the bromoil technique. The images on display are the result of years of experimentation with contemporary photographic materials.
A total of 79 artists will participate in the exhibitions: Alo Aarsalu, Maire Aarsalu, Indrek Aavik, Marina Aleksejeva, Helen Bunder, Monica del Norte, Eve Eesmaa, Ahto Eller, Eike Eplik, Maria Evestus, Evi Gailit, Albert Gulk, Lemme Haldre, Mirjam Hinn, Õie Holm, Greete Härma, Eero Ijavoinen, Edgar Juhkov, Siiri Jüris, Kairo, Kalli Kalde, Kersti Kals, Kadri Kalve, Markus Kasemaa, Madis Katz, Jaak Kikas, Peeter Krosmann, Ilmar Kruusamäe, Hedi Kuhi, Tiina Kuus, Timo Kähara, Silver Laadi, Koidu Laur, Katrin Leement, Heikki Leis, Tea Lemberpuu, Mati Leppik, Jane Liiv, Kaie Luik, Helle Lõhmus, Margit Lõhmus, Edward von Lõngus, Katrin Maask, Ove Maidla, Epp Margna, Margus Meinart, Anni Mets, Rauno Thomas Moss, Maarit Mälgi, Marika Naadel, Kaire Nurk, Aet Ollisaar, Heiko Paju, Erika Pedak, Tambet Pedak, Per Petersen, Sirje Petersen, Tuuli Puhvel, Ruudu Rahumaru Sandra, Mari-Ann Remmel, Ingmar Roomets, Andrea Rotenberg, Anne Rudanovski, Sven Senka, Regina-Mareta Soonsein, Maret Suurmets Kuura, Talia, Edgar Tedresaar, Enn Tegova, Kadri Toom, Külli Trummal, Silja Truus, Heli Tuksam, Alar Tuul, Maris Tuuling, Evi Tuvikene, Eve Valper, Riina Varol, Liisi Örd
Graphic design: Vahram Muradyan
Thanks: Mareli Reinhold, Piret Bergmann, Pärnu Linnavalitsus, Argo Mättas, Gregor Purtsak, Siim Asmer, Tanel Asmer, Eva Labotkin
Openings
16:00 Tex-Mex Gallery (Akadeemia 5)
16:30 Endla Theatre Gallery (Keskväljak 1)
17:00 Pärnu City Gallery in the Town Hall (Uus tn. 4)
17:30 Avangard Gallery (Supeluse 1) – “The Aesthetics of the Void” (Mare Vint, Leonhard Lapin, Evi Tihemets, Avo Keerend), curators Marian and Jan Leo Grau / avangardgallery.eu
18:00 Pärnu City Gallery in the Artists’ House (Nikolai 27)
21:00 HØØD bar (Supeluse 14)
(the movement speed of the audience may affect the opening times)
An opening party will take place at the Art House and the HØØD bar with the participation of Paul Lepasson, Ahto Külvet, Jaan Malin, Eero Ijavoinen, Tuuli Puhvel and Laura Marita Lappalainen.
Art bus Tartu-Pärnu-Tartu
In Tartu, the bus departs at 13:00 from the lower parking lot of Vanemuine Theatre.
The bus will start its return journey from Pärnu at 22:30.
To register for the bus, sign up here: https://forms.gle/XSZw3sGqitMNCJFc7
The project is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonian and the City of Pärnu.
The exhibitions will remain open until 31 August.
