From September 3rd to November 30th 2024, the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre’s hall and staircase gallery are hosting an international illustration exhibition titled “Magical Forest.”
Exhibition curator Viive Noor says: “There are sea peoples, forest peoples, and desert peoples. Estonians are both sea and forest people; the forest is close to our hearts. We don’t always know how to appreciate the richness around us. However, even those peoples who have little forest left feel its pull. The forest simultaneously frightens and attracts. European forests are mostly safe, with the dark wilderness now more of a memory, but the forest’s magical power has been preserved. The mystery, the magic, remains. That’s why the artists I invited to participate in the exhibition easily connected with the theme and were happy to introduce us to their magical forests. Everyone has their own forest and their own magic, and this can be seen in the pictures.”
The exhibition features 48 illustrators, 17 from Estonia and 31 from abroad, representing a total of 15 countries. Participants from Estonia include Regina Lukk-Toompere, Anne Linnamägi, Catherine Zarip, Piret Mildeberg, Jüri Mildeberg, Piret Niinepuu-Kiik, Katrin Ehrlich, Ulla Saar, Kadi Kurema, Urmas Viik, Kadri Ilves, Anne Pikkov, Kertu Sillaste, Tuulike Kivestu-Rotella, Kristi Kangilaski, Viive Noor, and Marja-Liisa Plats. International participants include Virpi Talvitie (Finland), Ana Juan, Ignasi Blanch, Josep Antoni Tàssies, and Laura Pérez Granel (Spain), Rebeka Luciani (Argentina), Judith Clay, Olaf Hajek, and Stefanie Harjes (Germany), Hanna Karaleva (Austria), Martin Jarrie (France), Joanna Concejo (Poland), Lena Revenko and Natalie Pudalov (Israel), Gundega Muzikante, Anita Paegle, Aleksejs Naumovs, Arta Ozola-Jaunaraja, Gita Treice, and Anda Strautniece (Latvia), Glenda Sburelin, Andrea Calisi, Daniela Costa, Daniela Iride Murgia, Matteo Gubellini, Anna Forlati, and Sergio Olivotti (Italy), Marius Jonutis (Lithuania), João Vaz de Carvalho (Portugal), Alefes Silva (Colombia), and Natalia Mirzoian (Armenia).
The exhibition can be visited during the centre’s opening hours: Mon-Fri 10 AM–6 PM, Sat 11 AM–4 PM.
Additionally the centre hosts educational programs inspired by the exhibition for students in Grade 3 to Grade 6 starting from September 16th.
The Fairy Tale Attic features a magical puppet exhibition from Studio 14 titled “Magical Forest”.
Olaf Hajeki illustratsion Hidden Girl
Further information:
Viive Noor
Estonian Children’s Literature Centre’s art curator
5557 9930
Katrin Tõnisson
Estonian Children’s Literature Centre’s program manager
(educational program)
katrin@elk.ee
