The international contemporary art fair Foto Tallinn 2026, held at Kai Art Center from 18–20 September, broke records across every category. Over three days, audiences had the opportunity to discover works by 45 artists from 15 countries and take part in a diverse public programme. The majority of participating artists and gallerists were present, alongside art professionals and members of the jury, who had selected the participants from a record number of applications earlier this year.
Estonia’s only contemporary art fair, Foto Tallinn, took place for the twelfth time this year, running from Friday to Sunday at Kai Art Center. This major three-day event, dedicated to the best of contemporary photographic art from recent years, attracted thousands of art lovers, hundreds of international visitors from Greece to Iceland, and highly regarded journalists from abroad, including those from France and Italy.
For the biennial art fair, the jury selected 16 galleries and 15 independently exhibiting artists from a record number of applicants. In total, Foto Tallinn 2026 presented the work of 45 artists from 15 countries. The programme included 11 private events for art collectors, 15 events open to the public, and three events for artists and gallerists.
Compared with the 2024 edition, Foto Tallinn 2026 doubled its visitor numbers. A total of 48 works by 20 different artists were sold, while turnover increased by 62%. Foto Tallinn 2026 offered an overview of outstanding contemporary photographic practices from around the world, with works priced between €333 and €8,172.
“Rather than focusing on increasing scale, Foto Tallinn consciously invests in quality, creating a curated presentation with uncompromisingly high standards. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from the collectors and international art experts who visited the fair confirmed that, as a team, we achieved the goals we had set ourselves,” said Kadi-Ell Tähiste, Executive Director of Foto Tallinn.
“I believe that an international event of this profile, which has received such a strong positive response, creates significant value for the country as a whole, for the region, and, of course, for the wider arts and cultural field,” she added.
The artistic director of Foto Tallinn 2026, Lilian Hiob-Küttis, highlighted how broad the concept of photographic thinking has become, and noted a strong movement in contemporary photography back towards materiality and technical craftsmanship. She described this as a certain counterpoint to rapidly consumed and produced commercial imagery and digital culture: “The fair presented a wide range of approaches, from documentary and staged photography to abstract images, found materials, objects, installations, and experimental techniques. All of the works were notable for their exceptionally high level of contemporary artistic practice.”
“I think one of Foto Tallinn’s important roles is to show what we understand by photographic art in the first place, and to demonstrate that photography does not necessarily have to mean documenting something that already exists, or producing a photographic image in the conventional sense of a picture on a wall,” explained Lilian Hiob-Küttis.
“Photographic thinking can also manifest itself in an installation, sculpture, book, space, material, or in the way an image is produced and presented. Foto Tallinn does not define photography too narrowly, but instead shows just how much is possible within the medium. That is precisely what makes photography so fascinating: the question is no longer only what photography depicts, but what photographic thinking itself makes possible.”
Foto Tallinn 2026 took place at Kai Art Centre from 18–20 September.
As part of the fair, Sarah Stone was announced as the recipient of the Artproof Production Award. Long-standing supporter of contemporary art Sunly acquired works by Sigrid Viir, represented by Temnikova & Kasela Gallery, and Līga Spunde, represented by Kogo Gallery, for its corporate art collection.
The jury of Foto Tallinn 2026 comprised Anna Tellgren (Moderna Museet, Stockholm), Jeppe Ugelvig (New York), Margot Samel (New York), Sara Giuliattini (Polycopies, Paris), and the artistic director of Foto Tallinn 2026, Lilian Hiob-Küttis.
The public programme featured Anna Tellgren (Moderna Museet), Sara Giuliattini (Polycopies), Kadi-Ell Tähiste, Lilian Hiob-Küttis, Priit Lepasepp (Sunly), Monika Kallas-Anton (SEB), Taivi Koitla, Sakari Tervo, Indrek Grigor, Hedi Jaansoo, Elina Drake, as well as numerous artists and other art professionals.
The following galleries and artists participated in Foto Tallinn 2026:
ALMA & (LV): Rasa Jansone (LV), Vika Eksta (LV)
ASNI (LV): Agate Tūna (LV)
Drifts (LT): Janina Sabaliauskaitė (LT/UK)
FOKU Gallery (EE): Johanna Adojaan (EE), Roman-Sten Tõnissoo (EE), Tanja Muravskaja (EE), Tuukka Kaila (FI/EE)
Gallery Halmetoja (FI): Antti J. Leinonen (FI), Elina Brotherus (FI)
Helsinki Contemporary (FI): Emma Sarpaniemi (FI)
ISSP Gallery (LV): MAREUNROL’S (LV), Rūta Kalmuka (LV)
Kogo Gallery (EE): Kristina Õllek (EE), Līga Spunde (LV)
Maksla XO (LV): David Penny (UK), Roman Korovin (LV)
Punctum Gallery (EE): Joosep Kivimäe (EE), Kristine Krauze-Slucka (LV)
SIC (FI): Sauli Sirviö (FI)
Temnikova & Kasela Gallery (EE): Flo Kasearu (EE), Krista Mölder (EE), Sigrid Viir (EE)
The Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki / Uniarts Helsinki (FI): Ananya Tanttu (FI), Diana Luganski (FI), Erkki Huilla (FI)
TOBE Gallery (HU): Kincső Bede (RO)
Tütar Gallery (EE): Dénes Farkas (EE/HU)
Vasli Souza (NO): Hilla Kurki (FI), Taavi Rekkaro (EE)
Independently exhibiting artists
Bob Bicknell-Knight (UK/EE), Elena Kristofor (UA/AT), Francesca Marengo (IT/UK), Gedvile Tamosiunaite (LT/DE), Jói Kjartans (IS/NO), Liina Leo (EE), Maria Kapajeva (EE/UK), MAryam Touzani (MA/NL), Mia Dudek (PL/PT), Naguel Rivero (AR/FR), Paul Kuimet (EE), Sarah Stone (UK/BE), Saskia Reis (DE), Sofia Runarsdotter (SE), Thordis Wolf (AT).
Held biannually, the international art fair Foto Tallinn presents jury-selected artists and galleries showcasing the latest contemporary photographic art, offering collectors and art audiences rare access to new artwork, new ideas, and the people behind the art. Foto Tallinn – shaping the future of photographic art.
Foto Tallinn is organized by Foto Tallinn, the Estonian Union of Photography Artists / FOKU, and the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center / Kai Art Center. Foto Tallinn 2026 was supported by Sunly, Sorainen, Artproof, FedEx, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Tallinn and co-funded by the European Union. Foto Tallinn 2026 partners: AkzoNobel, Hotel Telegraaf, Radisson Collection Tallinn, Hotel Palace Tallinn, Nunne Boutique Hotel, Hyatt Place, Bob W., Tallink, Põhjala Brewery, Prike.
Photos: Aron Urb
