The eleventh edition of the art fair Foto Tallinn, held from September 6th to 8th at Kai Art Center, attracted around a thousand art enthusiasts to Tallinn, with a record number of artworks finding new owners. As part of the event, a production stipend was awarded, and a renewable energy and clean-tech innovation company acquired pieces from the Foto Tallinn 2024 collection to highlight the value of investing in art and to encourage businesses and organizations to expand their contemporary art collections.

This year’s edition of Estonia’s only art fair, originally launched in 2010, showcased the best in global contemporary photography during the first weekend of September at Kai Art Center. Featuring works by 35 artists, the fair included seven participating galleries and a special presentation of contemporary Ukrainian photography titled Essential Goods. The event’s dynamic public program offered eight guided tours, three panel discussions, short lectures and conversations, pop-up talks with the artists, and an artist film program curated by FOKU, which included several premieres.

Kadi-Ell Tähiste, the main organizer of Foto Tallinn, noted that the three-day fair attracted around a thousand visitors, consistent with previous editions. However, she emphasized a noticeable increase in both awareness and interest in the medium. “Foto Tallinn is always delighted to welcome art enthusiasts, but this edition stood out for the audience’s deep interest and engagement compared to previous years. This was also evident in the number of artworks sold,” she added. A total of 40 works by 19 artists were sold, marking a 20% increase compared to the last edition.

To emphasize the value of collecting contemporary photographic art, the renewable energy and clean-tech company Sunly acquired four artworks for their collection: Ruudu Ulas „CMYK“, Riina Varol „Voyage X“, David Fathi „Feedback Loop XXXIV“ and Flo Kasearu  „Violence Grows in Silence III“ (produced in collaboration with Hedi Jaansoo).

In partnership with Artproof, a production stipend was awarded to Estonian artist and FOKU member Birgit Püve. “The Foto Tallinn and Artproof stipend is not an award with just a monetary value, but a production grant that supports the creation of a new series for the fair. This year, Birgit Püve’s captivating and remarkable series was chosen,” said Taavi Rekkaro, Artproof’s board member. “It’s important to note that Foto Tallinn’s overall selection was of exceptional quality, and if possible, we would have loved to select even more recipients,” he added.

Foto Tallinn is a biannual international art fair that presents the latest in contemporary photography, creating an opportunity to see, buy and collect photographic art selected by a professional jury and to meet artists and industry professionals. Foto Tallinn 2024 participants: Agate Tūna (LV | ISSP Gallery), Ana Vallejo (CO/US | PUNCTUM), András Ladocsi (HU/FR), Birgit Püve (EE), Charles Thiefaine (FR/IQ), Daniel Wagener (LU/BE | Valerius Gallery), Daria Svertilova (UA/FR | Contemporary Ukrainian photography), David Fathi (FR | PUNCTUM), Devashish Gaur (IN), Diana Tamane (LV/EE), Elena Subach (UA | Contemporary Ukrainian photography), Eve Kiiler (EE | FOKU), Flo Kasearu (EE | Temnikova & Kasela Gallery), Heikki Leis (EE | Kogo Gallery), Ivar Veermäe (EE/DE | FOKU), Jean Vincent Simonet (FR/CH), Joosep Kivimäe (EE | FOKU), Krista Mölder (EE | Temnikova & Kasela Gallery), Kristina Õllek (EE | Tütar Gallery), Kristīne Krauze Slucka (LV | ISSP Gallery), Léa Habourdin (FR | PUNCTUM), Maria Di Stefano (IT), Maria Kapajeva (EE/UK), Paul Kuimet (EE), Ritsch Sisters (AT/US), Rebekka Deubner (DE/FR), Riina Varol (EE), Ruudu Ulas (EE/UK/DE), Sander Coers (NL), Sarah van Rij (FR/NL), Sasha Kurmaz (UA | Contemporary Ukrainian photography), Tomas Raul Aphalo (FI/AR), Triin Kerge (EE/IT), Valentin Joseph Valette (TN), Vasylyna Vrublevska (UA/FR | Contemporary Ukrainian photography). 

Foto Tallinn 2024 curator was Isabella van Marle, and the jury members were the Executive Director and board member of the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center (ECADC) and Artistic Director of Kai Art Center Karin Laansoo, Senior Editor of the US-based photography platform Aperture, Brendan Embser and the Founder and Artistic Director of Bologna-based PhMuseum and PhMuseum Days International Photography Festival Giuseppe Oliverio.

The fair is organized by Foto Tallinn, the Estonian Union of Photography Artists and the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center. Main organizers of Foto Tallinn are Kadi-Ell Tähiste and Helen Melesk. 

Estonia’s only art fair is supported by Artproof, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, DHL Express, Sunly, Tallinn Culture & Sports Department and co-funded by the European Union.

Starting on Friday, September 6th, the three-day Foto Tallinn art fair will showcase works by 35 contemporary artists. This 11th edition features a versatile programme, including talks, guided tours, panel discussions, and short lectures led by photography experts. It offers a diverse range of experiences and opportunities for art enthusiasts, collectors, and industry professionals alike.

The international fair Foto Tallinn, the only event of its kind in Estonia, will be held from September 6th to 8th at the Kai Art Center. It offers an opportunity to see, buy and collect photographic art selected by a professional jury. Visitors are invited to explore the latest trends in contemporary photography, participate in guided tours, and engage in topical panel discussions and short lectures.

Kadi-Ell Tähiste, the main organizer of Foto Tallinn, emphasizes that the fair introduces artists, gallerists, and experts from around the globe. “Over the years, Foto Tallinn has evolved into a distinguished platform for fostering professional interactions between local and international art communities. It has been instrumental in placing Estonia on the international contemporary art map, in giving the artists the opportunity to present their works to a diverse audience, and in introducing the latest in contemporary photography,” she added.

In addition to the artworks and artists, forming the main focus of the fair running from Friday to Sunday, Foto Tallinn’s panel discussions will feature a number of international contemporary art professionals, among others Brendan Embser, Senior Editor of the US-based photography platform Aperture and a member of the Foto Tallinn 2024 jury; Katherine Ryckman Siegwarth, Executive Director of the Cincinnati-based FotoFocus biennial; Vita Liberte, founder of the Latvia-based VV Foundation; and Isabella van Marle, curator of Foto Tallinn 2024. The fair’s vibrant event schedule culminates in an artist film programme curated by FOKU (Estonian Union of Photography Artists).

Foto Tallinn 2024 will take place from September 6 to 8 at the Kai Art Center on Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 20:00 and Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00. Tickets are 10€ and 6€. 

Foto Tallinn 2024 programme: https://www.fototallinn.ee/en/programme/

Foto Tallinn 2024 participants: https://www.fototallinn.ee/en/participants/

Foto Tallinn is a biannual international photographic art fair that presents the latest contemporary photography selected by a professional jury and creates an opportunity for the art audience to see, buy, and collect fresh photographic art. For professionals in the field, Foto Tallinn offers a platform for collaboration and discussion, meetings with the art audience, and the presentation of their work to art enthusiasts. Curated tours, meetings with artists, lectures and seminars, book presentations, and much more will take place within the framework of the fair. The curator of Foto Tallinn 2024 is Isabella van Marle, and the main organizers are Helen Melesk and Kadi-Ell Tähiste. The fair is organized by Foto Tallinn, the Estonian Union of Photography Artists and the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center. This year, the 11th edition of the photographic art fair will take place September 6-8 at the Kai Art Center.

The fair is supported by Artproof (in collaboration with Hahnemühle), the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, DHL Express, Sunly, Tallinn Culture & Sports Department and co-funded by the European Union.

Foto Tallinn is proud to present the partners of the 2024 edition.

Renewable energy and clean-tech innovation company Sunly will acquire artworks for 6000 € from the Foto Tallinn 2024 selection for the company’s art collection. With this purchase, Sunly wishes to support artists, and it aims to encourage companies and organizations to develop their contemporary art collections. Sunly’s Tallinn office in the Telliskivi District boasts a collection of over 100 artworks by contemporary artists. 

Fine art production company Artproof in collaboration with the paper manufacturer Hahnemühle will sponsor a 4000-euro production grant for one participating artist at Foto Tallinn for the production of a new series of works. In addition to the production grant, Artproof supports the production of artworks presented as part of the special presentation Essential Goods: Contemporary Ukrainian Photography

The official transport partner of Foto Tallinn 2024 is DHL Express.

In addition to the works of 35 different artists, the international art fair Foto Tallinn, taking place at Kai Art Center from September 6 to 8, will introduce diverse discussions and guided tours with artists, art collectors, and internationally recognized experts. The topics featured in the programme aim to create a dialogue with the situations that affect us daily, offer experiences, and create space for thought even for the discerning art lover.

The eleventh edition of the international photographic art fair Foto Tallinn will create a multi-levelly perceptible space in the Kai Art Center from September 6 to 8th. The fair features diverse works by 35 artists; it is possible to meet and chat with the artists, see a programme of artist films, and participate in panel discussions and guided tours, providing a more in-depth insight into the various topics researched by the artists. “I am confident that this year’s programme of Foto Tallinn will offer experiences, food for thought and new discoveries both for people who are passionate about current topics, art collectors and professionals in the field,” comments Kadi-Ell Tähiste, main organizer of Foto Tallinn, on the upcoming multifaceted fair and its detailed programme.

During three days, the audience can participate in guided and curatorial tours, at the end of which pop-up talks with artists will take place. The guided tours are conducted by Isabella van Marle, curator of the photo art fair, Brendan Embser, senior editor of the New York-based publishing house Aperture and Foto Tallinn 2024 jury member, and Laura Arum-Lääts, head of educational programs at the Kai Art Center. At the end of each tour, the visitors are invited to enjoy a pop-up talk with one artist represented at the fair: Riina Varol (EE), András Ladocsi (HU/FR), Kristina Õllek (EE), Ruudu Ulas (EE), Birgit Püve (EE), Daniel Wagener (LU/BE) and with gallerist Marina Russakova presenting the works of David Fathi (FR).

The tours are complemented by comprehensive and boundary-pushing panel discussions, toucing upon topics like freedom, future-proof art events in the urban environment, family memories, and cross-generational nostalgia. Artists Charles Thiefane (FR/IQ) and Maria Kapajeva (EE/UK) discuss the current and ever-important topic of freedom in the panel The Borders of Freedom, while the questions What Can a Biennial Do for a City? What Should a Biennial Do for an Artist? are dissected by Katherin Ryckman Siegwarth, excecutive director of the Cincinnati-based FotoFocus biennial, Vita Liberte, art collector, diplomat and the founder of the VV Foundation (LV), and Marge Monko, an artist, professor of the Estonian Academy of Arts and co-founder of Tallinn Photomonth Biennial. Artists Tomas Raul Aphalo (FI/AR), Sander Coers (NL), and Triin Kerge (EE/IT) will talk about the role of memories in the discussion The Closest We Will Get. The talks will be moderated by Isabella van Marle, Karin Laansoo, and Brendan Embser.

In addition to the thought-provoking conversations and tours, curator and art agent Lilian Hiob will conduct a short lecture The ABCs of Collecting Photographic Art, and art collector, radio, and TV journalist Neeme Raud will present his favourites from the selection of this year’s fair on a special tour. The busy fair schedule’s grand finale is an artists’ film programme, put together by FOKU board member and the artistic director of the Tallinn Photomonth Biennial, Kulla Laas.

Foto Tallinn 2024 full programme can be found here: https://www.fototallinn.ee/programm/

An overview of the artists, galleries, and artists’ associations represented at this year’s art fair can be found here: https://www.fototallinn.ee/osalejad/

Foto Tallinn 2024 will take place from September 6 to 8 at the Kai Art Center on Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 20:00 and Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00. 

Foto Tallinn is a biannual international photographic art fair that presents the latest contemporary photography selected by a professional jury and creates an opportunity for the art audience to see, buy, and collect fresh photographic art. For professionals in the field, Foto Tallinn offers a platform for collaboration and discussion, meetings with the art audience, and the presentation of their work to art enthusiasts. Curated tours, meetings with artists, lectures and seminars, book presentations, and much more will take place within the framework of the fair. The curator of Foto Tallinn 2024 is Isabella van Marle, and the main organizers are Helen Melesk and Kadi-Ell Tähiste. The fair is organized by Foto Tallinn, the Estonian Union of Photography Artists and the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center. This year, the 11th edition of the photographic art fair will take place September 6-8 at the Kai Art Center.

The fair is supported by Artproof, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, DHL Express, Sunly, Tallinn Culture & Sports Department and co-funded by the European Union.

The biannual international photographic art fair Foto Tallinn celebrates its 11th edition, introducing the latest contemporary photography at Kai Art Center from September 6th to 8th.

The diverse fair, welcoming all art enthusiasts and collectors, features the latest works by 35 artists. “Foto Tallinn 2024 is happy to include participants from all over the world, presenting artists, collectives and galleries based in Tunisia, India, France, the US, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Hungary, Italy, Finland, Austria, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine” summarizes one of the main organisers of the fair, Kadi-Ell Tähiste.

The participants were selected by a jury of international photography professionals, including Senior Editor of the US-based photography platform Aperture, Brendan Embser, the Founder and Artistic Director of Bologna-based PhMuseum and PhMuseum Days International Photography Festival Giuseppe Oliverio, and the Executive Director and board member of the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center (ECADC) and Artistic Director of Kai Art Center Karin Laansoo. The jury highlighted the tight competition and the high quality of the final selection. “The artists selected for this year’s edition show an inspiring range of themes, formal ingenuity, and new directions for the medium,” commented Brendan Embser. Karin Laansoo added: “Compared to previous editions, we can see a stronger focus on documentary photography, which is also understandable considering the current global events.”

The fair is curated by the Amsterdam-based creative consultant and curator Isabella van Marle, and it introduces presentations by 18 artists and artist collectives and seven galleries. In addition, Foto Tallinn is proud to feature a special presentation of contemporary Ukrainian photography. The artists presented at Foto Tallinn 2024 are: Agate Tūna (LV | ISSP Gallery), Ana Vallejo (CO/US | PUNCTUM), András Ladocsi (HU/FR), Birgit Püve (EE), Charles Thiefaine (FR/IQ), Daniel Wagener (LU/BE | Valerius Gallery), Daria Svertilova (UA/FR | Contemporary Ukrainian photography), David Fathi (FR | PUNCTUM), Devashish Gaur (IN), Diana Tamane (LV/EE), Elena Subach (UA | Contemporary Ukrainian photography), Eve Kiiler (EE | FOKU), Flo Kasearu (EE | Temnikova & Kasela Gallery), Heikki Leis (EE | Kogo Gallery), Ivar Veermäe (EE/DE | FOKU), Jean Vincent Simonet (FR/CH), Joosep Kivimäe (EE | FOKU), Krista Mölder (EE | Temnikova & Kasela Gallery), Kristina Õllek (EE | Tütar Gallery), Kristīne Krauze Slucka (LV | ISSP Gallery), Léa Habourdin (FR | PUNCTUM), Maria Di Stefano (IT), Maria Kapajeva (EE/UK), Paul Kuimet (EE), Ritsch Sisters (AT/US), Rebekka Deubner (DE/FR), Riina Varol (EE), Ruudu Ulas (EE/UK/DE), Sander Coers (NL), Sarah van Rij (FR/NL), Sasha Kurmaz (UA | Contemporary Ukrainian photography), Tomas Raul Aphalo (FI/AR), Triin Kerge (EE/IT), Valentin Joseph Valette (TN), Vasylyna Vrublevska (UA/FR | Contemporary Ukrainian photography). Participating galleries are: FOKU (EE), ISSP Gallery (LV), Kogo Gallery (EE), PUNCTUM (EE), Temnikova & Kasela Gallery (EE), Tütar Gallery (EE) ja Valerius Gallery (LU).

More info about the participants: www.fototallinn.ee/en/participants/

The fair is supported by Artproof, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, DHL Express, Sunly, Tallinn Culture & Sports Department and co-funded by the European Union.

Foto Tallinn is a biannual international photographic art fair that presents the latest contemporary photography selected by a professional jury and creates an opportunity for the art audience to see, buy, and collect fresh photographic art. For professionals in the field, Foto Tallinn offers a platform for collaboration and discussion, meetings with the art audience, and the presentation of their work to art enthusiasts. Curated tours, meetings with artists, lectures and seminars, book presentations, and much more will take place within the framework of the fair. The curator of Foto Tallinn 2024 is Isabella van Marle, and the main organizers are Helen Melesk and Kadi-Ell Tähiste. The fair is organized by Foto Tallinn, the Estonian Union of Photography Artists and the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center. This year, the 11th edition of the photographic art fair will take place September 6-8 at the Kai Art Center.

The participants of the art fair Foto Tallinn 2024, taking place September 6—8 at Kai Art Center, are selected by a jury of international photography professionals. The fair’s open call received 94 applications and the list of participants will be announced in late June. 

The jury was led by the fair curator Isabella van Marle and its members are:

Brendan Embser, Senior Editor at the US-based Aperture: I am thrilled to join the jury for Foto Tallinn 2024. The artists selected for this year’s edition show an inspiring range of themes, formal ingenuity, and new directions for the medium.

Embser has edited books by photographers including Arielle Bobb-Willis, Chloe Dewe Mathews, Ethan James Green, Deana Lawson, Philip Montgomery, Wendy Red Star, Ming Smith, and Zhang Xiao.

He was the co-curator of the Aperture Summer Open exhibitions from 2018 to 2020, and he has served on the jury for the Addis Foto Fest, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Changjiang International Photography and Video Art Biennale, Chongqing, China; Sony World Photography Awards; and WMA Masters, Hong Kong; and participated in the Jakarta International Photo Festival; Portfolio Review, Seoul; and Solar Fotofestival, Fortaleza, Brazil.

Embser is the curator of the traveling exhibition Tyler Mitchell: Wish This Was Real, and he has contributed essays and interviews to Apartamento, Aperture, Contemporary And, n+1, Objektiv, and The PhotoBook Review.

Giuseppe Oliverio, the Founder and Artistic Director of Bologna-based PhMuseum and PhMuseum Days International Photography Festival: It’s been a pleasure serving the Foto Tallinn 2024 open call selection process. The team is very professional and their positive open-minded approach creates a nice ground for sharing opinions and discussing the artists’ work. After having appreciated the care for details and the quality of the submissions, I am really looking forward to seeing the results in September! 

Since 2012, Oliverio has led the PhMuseum to develop their renewed Grants and Education Programs.

He has further conducted workshops in Argentina, Brazil, Italy, and in the Middle East. He has been a juror of awards such as Lucie Photo Book Prize, Magenta Foundation’s Flash Forward, Blow Up Press Book Award, LensCulture Critics’ Choice, United Photo Industry The Fence, and Cortona Happiness OnTheMove.

He has worked as a portfolio reviewer for Futures Photography, Unseen, Photo Vogue Festival, Fotografia Europea, Verzasca Foto and Visa Pour L’Image. He has written for TIME magazine and L’Uomo Vogue.

Karin Laansoo, the Executive Director and board member of the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center (ECADC) and Artistic Director of Kai Art Center: The quality of the candidates’ works was once again very high, and the competition was tight. Foto Tallinn 2024 focuses on outstanding international and local artists to be presented to the audience here. Compared to previous editions, we can see a stronger focus on documentary photography, which is also understandable considering the current global events.

Laansoo has a substantial background in contemporary art leadership roles with 15 years of international experience in curating, programming and fundraising for art institutions and nonprofits, and fostering collaborations, projects, and networks between the private and public sectors in the U.S. and Europe. Recent curatorial projects include Leviathan: the Paljassaare Chapter by Shezad Dawood (2020), Soil will not contain our love by Merike Estna (2022), Cyanoceans by Tuomas A. Laitinen and Kristina Õllek (2024), and As Long As the Blood Beats in Our Fountains by Kris Lemsalu and Kitty Florentine for Performa 2023.

From 2006 to 2013 Karin worked in New York City as gallery manager of a nonprofit art gallery and director of an international artist residency.

She published an award-winning book 22+ Young Estonian Artists in 2005 and produced Piibe Kolka’s documentary film Look a Little More. Katja Novitskova’s Art in Six Episodes in 2018.

Foto Tallinn introduces the latest contemporary photography and creates an opportunity for the art audience to see, buy, and collect fresh photographic art. For professionals in the field, Foto Tallinn offers a platform for collaboration and discussion, meetings with the art audience, and the presentation of their work to art enthusiasts. Curated tours, meetings with artists, lectures and seminars, book presentations, and much more will take place within the framework of the fair.

The curator of Foto Tallinn 2024 is Isabella van Marle, and the main organizers are Helen Melesk and Kadi-Ell Tähiste. The fair is organized by Foto Tallinn, the Estonian Union of Photography Artists and the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center. 

Art Fair Foto Tallinn is now accepting applications. We invite both Estonian and international artists, collectives, galleries and project spaces to participate in Foto Tallinn, taking place from September 6th until September 8th, 2024 at Kai Art Center. 

More info and application forms can be found on the fair’s website: www.fototallinn.ee/en/open-call/

The deadline for the submission of applications is April 28th, 2024.

Foto Tallinn is dedicated to presenting a wide range of contemporary photography. The fair offers international galleries, artists working with the medium of photography and project spaces a platform for collaboration, meetings and discussions. At the fair, exhibiting artists, collectives, galleries and project spaces can introduce and sell the selected works to a diverse audience and grow their network of professional contacts. During the last edition of Foto Tallinn in 2021, the fair welcomed 27 exhibitors of whom 19 were international participants. Artworks from over 35 artists with 13 different nationalities were presented at the fair. 

Foto Tallinn’s programme includes meetings with artists, panel discussions and book launches. In addition, the fair will feature special events for (prospective) art collectors, curators and professionals working in the field of photography, and curated tours arranged during the fair days. 

Fair participants will be selected by an international jury, led by Foto Tallinn 2024 curator Isabella van Marle: “I am delighted to be invited back to curate this year’s edition of Foto Tallinn. I look forward to including a wide variety of work by outstanding international artists who creatively tackle today’s pressing social issues. For me Foto Tallinn is distinctive because it offers a platform in the Baltic region for galleries, project spaces and independent artists who show a willingness to explore photography at the very limits of the medium.”

Foto Tallinn is organised collaboratively by Foto Tallinn, Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center, Kai Art Center and the Estonian Union of Photography Artists.

The fair is kindly supported by Artproof, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Tallinn Culture & Sports Department and co-funded by the European Union.

Foto Tallinn 2021. Foto: Rait Tuulas