On Friday June 30 two exhibitions will be opened on A-Gallery WINDOWS: TWO² by Ismini Pachi (GRC) and Sander Haugas (EE), HEAD by Kertu Vellerind (EE). The exhibitions will stay up on the gallery windows until August 13.
TWO²
Ismini Pachi and Sander Haugas
‘’Most of my days are filled with uncomfortable nonsense. If something starts with an alarm(!)clock, it probably sets the tone for the following. It takes a cup of coffee or 2 just to get me going and that’s the most natural part of the day.
We cheat our bodies and minds from dusk till dawn and there is no other way around. No shortcut is efficient, no lunch is for free. It’s all about the „daily grind”. The trick is to find soft spots where they are to be found and not to bang one’s head against a brick wall, so to speak.
The “Well-earned daily grind” series is about the life I know, the trade I practise, the people I love and the pleasure I get from it all. It’s an ode for common sense and a gesture of love. Always…’’ —— Sander
‘’Most of my days are anxious and noisy. I am surrounded by people speaking languages I don’t understand, trying to mould myself to fit in the given space. In this constant giving and taking that life requires, I need more time. I shield myself with strength and honesty and carefully choose strong connections. It sounds fragile but actually it’s not.
Craftsmanship brings me down to earth, in communication with my body. It is the time for myself, a time to slow down and silently observe the earthy material taking over and transforming into shapes that soothe my soul. It grounds me, connects me with my roots, bridges the long journey I have made with the open roads ahead of me…” —— Ismini
This exhibition is a dialogue in which the artists research the limits and strength of different materials and question whether power can be crafted.Sander Haugas presents a fresh series of body pieces and objects named “Well-earned daily grind”. He uses techniques such as forging, brazing and upholstering and materials like steel, brass, velvet, plexiglass and an old sock. Ismini Pachi’s “Crafted Power” is a collection of jewellery pieces and body objects. The pieces have been made using porcelain slip casting and silversmithing techniques. All the artworks have been made in 2023 and haven’t been shown before.
TWO² means power. The power of two. Two cultures, two materials, two qualities, four crafting hands.
Sander Haugas (1983) is a practising blacksmith, sculpture technician, student of architecture and a lecturer at Estonian Academy of Arts. After graduating his BA studies in sculpture at Tartu Art College (2003-2008), Sander Haugas continued his
professional career as an apprentice at blacksmith Ivar Feldmann’s workshop (2007-2012). In 2012, Sander started his own blacksmith workshop while also practising as a sculpture technician. In 2020, he received his MA degree (cum laude), accompanied with “Young Applied Artist Award” in blacksmithing and Jewellery at Estonian Academy of Arts. Starting from 2020, he is a student in architecture department at Estonian Academy of Arts. Sander Haugas has also worked as a sculpture department technician at EKA (2018-2020) and a lecturer inTartu Art college (2013-2016) and at Estonian Academy of arts (from 2018).
Ismini Pachi (1984) is a Greek jewellery artist and educator, who for the past five years lives in Estonia. She holds a BA in Philosophy , Pedagogy and Psychology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (2008). After her BA studies she attended jewellery and sculpture courses at the Chalkis Jewellery School – Eric Robbert (Greece) and started working as an independent jewellery artist actively participating in worldwide
exhibitions. In 2021 she acquired a MA in Jewellery from the Design and Crafts faculty of the Estonian Academy of Arts (cum laude).Her graduation work was nominated for the ‘’Young Applied Artists Award’’. Since 2021 she is working as an art educator at the International School of Tallinn.
HEAD
Kertu Vellerind
MIGHT TWIST STRANGELY
A NAIL HIT SPOT ON ITS HEAD,
IS THE PENCIL SHARP ENOUGH TO CUT THE BREAD
OR THE DOUGH STILL TOO WET INSIDE THE HEAD?
SOON THE HEADLESS MAN
A BOUNTY OFF HIS HEAD SHALL LIFT
HEAD ON — HEAD OFF, FOR HIM IT MATTERS NOT
ARE THE SHOULDERS TOPPED BY A CABBAGE OR A POT?
TWO HEADS IS WHAT NOTHING WILL TOP!
KERTU VELLERIND
An exhibition is a brief pause — an opportunity to take a breath before rushing forward in life once again. Artist Kertu Vellerind’s window exhibition will certainly turn heads and urge you to think with your head. Headlines have always been important to her, the titles of her work carry a strong message. As an Estonian, the artist worries about the fate of our small nation’s mother tongue and enjoys the beautiful sound and multivalence of this language. Thus, her jewellery titles are cleverly infused with wordplay.
Vellerind has explained that she mostly uses silver and “peakivi” (a play on “paekivi,” meaning limestone, but literally reads “headstone”) in her exhibition works. According to her, “peakivi” is incredibly beautiful, multifaceted, and we should be proud of it. Likewise, the artist does not shy away from Estonia’s national jewellery heritage. Allegedly, to draw inspiration, she speeds around on spoked coin pendant wheels and occasionally gets lost in the forest.
Kertu Vellerind (1967) creates charmingly witty Estonian jewellery art. In 1997, she obtained a master’s degree from the Estonian Academy of Arts, specializing in metal art. She has additionally studied in Finland and Germany. Since 1995, the artist has been working as a freelancer and is a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association and the Estonian Association of Metal Artists. Vellerind has participated in numerous group exhibitions both in Estonia and abroad, including Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Iceland, Belgium, Italy, and the United States. In her own words, she mostly enjoys organizing solo exhibitions every five years, when a round number comes up once again. She has been recognized in several international competitions, and in 2018, she and Urve Küttner were awarded the Ede Kurrel Prize.