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Garten

Current exhibition will partly continue the themes the artists introduced at their previous exhibition GARTEN (=garden, a piece of ground for growing plants) held in Berlin in 2016. The art project unites two jewellery artists from different generations whose work also seem to differ at first glance. However, the works exhibited have all something in common.

“We grow and we change while being always thirsty for something. As human beings, do we differ from plants that much after all and in what way?”

Katrin Veegen (b. 1978)

“Apples of the Paradise,
beans left in the field,
mouth of gold.”

Mari Pärtelpoeg (s. 1956)

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All that glitters is not gold

Ive-Marie Köögard’s personal exhibition of classical jewellery art “All that glitters is not gold” will be open in the Vault Room of A-Gallery from January 9, 2017.
“I have always been inspired by beautiful, shining stones and I cannot resist collecting these. This leaves me with no other choice than to use the stones for making new pieces of jewellery. Thus, my work has also been my hobby for the last 49 years”

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A Jewel among Stones

The reason behind this collection lies in the artist’s endless interest in 17th and 18th century extravagant gemstone jewellery. Combining artistic analytics and free association, the aesthetic of precious jewellery merges with everyday stone constructions.
The series A Jewel among Stones playfully examines the relationship between these two different kinds of stonework. The two types are often seen as opposites, one being remarkably precious and the other merely a matter of necessity.
Common and practical stones also possess the aspect of aesthetic. Sometimes stones used in
construction execute beautiful patterns on the building walls or ground; jewels among stones, one could say. Likewise, gemstones famously desired for their preciousness and looks are utilised purely for their functional properties.
Interestingly, when put side by side, some images of gemstone jewellery and cobblestone streets make a perfect match. Often gemstone settings and the positioning of cobblestones are strikingly similar.
A Jewel among Stones presents an on-going collection of objects, jewellery and photographs.
Hanna Ryynänen is a Finnish jewellery artist currently working and living in the city of Lappeenranta. In 2016 she graduated from Saimaa UAS as Bachelor of Arts, her main field being jewellery art. Besides one-off pieces of jewellery and small series, she has been making objects, installations and small sculptures.
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Message by Jewellery – Homage to Domestic Jewellery Art

Message by Jewellery – Homage to Domestic Jewellery Art

A-Gallery that represents the crème de la crème of Estonian jewellery artists welcomes everyone to pay homage to domestic jewellery art – during May 14 to 18 the gallery offers everyone the possibility to write some good thoughts or wishes to one’s most favourite local jewellery artist whereas all the messages will be forwarded to the artists by the gallery.

Your messages are welcome to be long and elaborated, however a simple “Thank you!” will also make the recipient surely happy. The purpose of the present call is to acknowledge the wonderful jewellery artists in Estonia and to appreciate the unique skills used for creating every original piece of jewellery. Considering today’s speed and extensiveness of electronic communication a handwritten, authentic message is especially appropriate for acknowledging the wonderful artisan pieces.

We recommend to take a look at your personal jewellery collection – perhaps there is a special piece that you have always cherished and fyou have always wanted to forward your gratitude to its author but you have never had the chance to do that. Why not grab the chance and write down some questions for the authors that you have always dreamed of asking.

A-Gallery invites you to drop by during May 14-18 to write down your thoughts. We take care that the messages will reach the artists.

May 17th and 18th will have a special meaning, we will let you know about the details soon!

Yours,
A-Gallery

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Kunst/Art.

“Pieces of jewellery are not considered art, even if they really yearn for the status. Especially gold and gems. All kind of gimcrackery is not art, despite the fact that the display windows are full of them. Jewellery is non-art.”   This is the message of Ivar Kaasik’s present exhibition where the artist presents works relating to paint and the faded brilliance of crystals.

What’s more – any kind of harmony, balance and compatibility has been avoided. There is lack of taste and beauty. The result is art. At least it really aims at being art. But is it enough in order to become a great work or art? Certainly not. However, when the objects were exhibited in a museum or an art gallery then even the smallest objects will become magnificent. Like in a fairy tale where words of wisdom are often expressed though vague hints or by birds and animals.  

“What is your favourite colour and favourite stone? Where did you recently travel to? What kind of materials do you use? Why such incomprehensible names?” It gets really complicated when artists themselves have to talk about their work or to describe their creative process, to reveal facts about their family and home. One has to create a myth and remain in the shadow in order to offer the viewers the opportunity to decide themselves what to see. Whereas Kaasik’s earlier works have been covered with diamonds then his new pieces form a symbiosis of patches of paint, heaps of stones, surfaces covered with ash and dust. The artist has eliminated the measure of a man and the naturalness of material. The exposition reminds of plastic, nature has been replaced by hopelessness. When touching the pieces these will either fall into pieces or become totally broken. Trivial materials, deliberate errors, strong anonymity and shaky details contribute to the humorous atmosphere of the exhibition.

Ivar Kaasik was born on April 12, 1965 in Kuressaare. He studied in the department of architecture and later in the department of metal art of the Estonian Academy of Arts (former Estonian State Art Institute) in 1983-1992; in Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design, Halle in 1989-1990. Afterwards he worked various professions, for instance as a goldsmith in Germany in 1992-1999. Since 1999 Kaasik has been a freelance artist. He has participated in exhibitions since 1989. Kaasik is a member of Association of German Artists since 2001 and Estonian Artists’ Association since 2012. He is also a member of Estonian Metal Artists’ Union and Estonian Painters’ Union.

Ivar Kaasik has been awarded the Diamond International Award (1996) that is the most prestigeous awards for jewellery design. As a writer, Kaasik has expressed himself in his written work “Ettevaatust, kunst! Mida teha. Kuidas ja kui palju” (“Beware of art! What to do. How and how much”, published in 2011) where the author disregards pathos and traditional approaches in art and calls the genre of his book “minimum and maximum programme”.

Ivar Kaasik’s work is often incomprehensible; his pieces have been inspired by direct urge not to think and by the forced anonymous monologue, indirect hints and undubious possibilities of interpretation.   Exploiting of the subject of being a man is one of main themes in Kaasik’s work whereas the artist is not stuck in the surface of social orders and expectations of mass culture but delves directly into the universe of bodily needs. Kaasik’s appropriational irony together with the phenomenon of craft and incomprehensible technique have developed temporal atmosphere and a somewhat artificial world soothed into singularity in his work. His jewellery can be juxtaposed to the stories without a happy end.

Is there anything that has not been seen yet? Perhaps this will become a new challenge for the art of jewellery: to display something that won’t deserve displaying. Art and crafts – are these the two arbitrarily referred poles between which contemporary jewellery art oscillates while never reaching the agreement and thus attracting the viewer’s interest.   If disregarding the problems concerning the need for jewellery and the existence of a jewellery artist then which processes decide the status of jewellery in society? How are the processes related to the approaches and decisions made by people as social beings?

At this point, the emphasis is not on an impressive artisan skills of a goldsmith neither on a direct connection between the artist’s biography/psychology and his or her artwork. The thing only has to do with its own rationality.   The following questions – who decides the development of a piece of jewellery and how is it made, who solves the issues related to the production process – must be treated individually with every artist. This is a game with specific dynamics where the patterns of process are accompanied by an incomprehensible opposition. Not only elegance but also bodily intrusion.

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EMPTINESS

What is my jewellery made of?
Emptiness.
I gave them space.
Form began from the line.
The form and space are made of metal.
They came from emptiness.
 
Kadi Kübarsepp was born in 1982 in Tallinn. She has obtained BA in the department of jewellery and blacksmithing at the Estonian Academy of Arts in 2008 and MA degree in 2011. Kübarsepp has participated in numerous group exhibitions both in Estonia and abroad and held 7 personal exhibitions in Estonia and in Helsinki, Finland (2015). The artist creates jewellery pieces using silver and steel wire where the main focus is on the line and its relation to space. The artist makes both wearable jewellery as well as sculptural forms whereas challenging the borders between object-jewellery pieces, printmaking and sculpture.
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Another life

Is there another life and what is it about? Is it about changes in life, hoping for life after death, giving things a new life? Water and plants are inseparable from each other. Without water, a tree will become wood. At the current exhibition I have presented maple, apple and pear tree wood from my home garden – all the trees that have been cut down during my lifetime and the taste of their fruit are still in my mind. While modelling the wood I have attempted to reanimate them in the form of jewellery. Water that gave life to wood has been given “another life” in silver.

​Photo: H. Tensing

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2017 parim Seifinäitus

11. jaanuaril kuulutati A-Galeriis välja 2017. aasta Parim Seifinäitus, milleks osutus Kertu Vellerinna näitus FACEBOOK/NÄORAAMAT.  

A-Galerii on professionaalsete metallikunstnike loomingut esindav ehtegalerii, mille tegevuste hulka kuulub ka ajaloolises seifis näituste korraldamine. A-Galerii algatas 2007. aastal Parima Seifinäituse preemia eesmärgiga tunnustada loominguga aktiivselt tegelevaid kolleege. Sellest ajast on traditsioon mööduvat aastat kokkuvõtval peol valida ja välja kuulutada aasta parim seifinäitus ning anda üle preemia.  

2017. aasta Parima Seifinäituse preemia saanud ehtekunstnik Kertu Vellerind kirjeldab oma näituse sisu tabavalt luulevormis:   NÄORAAMAT/FACEBOOK (Mida mina, kellel FB konto puudub, sellest arvan)   ÜKS VEEBIPÕHINE ÜÜRATU VÕRGUSTIK – MINU JAOKS TÄIESTI TUNDMATU KÕRGUSTIK ENDAST FOTOSID PILDISTA, SILDISTA RIPUTA, RAPUTA PASSIIVSELT – AKTIIVSELT ELU JAGA JA SEGA SHEERI VÕI KOMMENTEERI HUVILÄHTUVALT GRUPEERI LIIDA VÕI LAHUTA KOOSELUSID NAHUTA ELA KAASA JA LAIGI KUNI SÜDAMES LÄIGIB OHTRALT SÕPRU SAAD LISADA VÕI SÕNUMEIS KISADA, ET: „SIHIPÄRATULT AEGA MINA EI KULUTA!   Näituse kujundas Tea Tammelaan.   Kertu Vellerind (s 1967 Tallinnas): „EKA metallehistöö kateedris veetsin kokku üheksa aastat – sinna mahtus nii bakalaureuse- kui ka magistrikraad, täiendõpe Lahti Disainiinstituudis Soomes 1992 ja Maini-äärse Hanau Joonestusakadeemias Saksamaal 1993, üks aasta akadeemilist puhkust ning kolm toredat suve ERKI Soome-Ugri ekspeditsiooni liikmena 1990–1992. Vabakutselise ehtekunstnikuna töötan aastast 1995, aasta hiljem astusin EKL-i liikmeks.

Näitustest olen osa võtnud omajagu nii Eestis kui ka väljaspool. 2016. aastast olen Ede Kurreli nimelise aastapreemia laureaat.“

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The Vault Room exhibitions 2018

A-gallery represents Estonian professional jewellery art and offers artists free exhibition space in gallery’s Vault Room as well as possibility to sell jewellery in main hall.
Vault Room is an exhibition space consisting of 5,2 square meters in the heart of the gallery where jewellery artists of various age and nationality have introduced their work since 2005. Exposition changes once in four weeks that makes about 13 exhibitions a year. The general purpose of the exhibitions held in Vault Room is to introduce both classic jewellery art and fresh ideas as well as new approaches to art jewellery.
Vault Room exhibitions in 2018:

1. 19.01.–19.02. Harry Tensing
2. 23.02.–26.03. Kadi Kübarsepp
3. 30.03.–30.04. Ivar Kaasik
4. 04.05.–04.06. Pilvi Tammoja
5. 08.06.–09.07. Hanna Ryynanen
6. 13.07.–13.08. Sanna Nuutinen, Kaisa Vuorinen
7. 17.08.–17.09. Dot Melanin & Dana Seachuga
8. 21.09.–22.10. Erle Nemvalts
9. 26.10.–26.11. Raili Vinn
10. 30.11.–31.12. Marita Lumi