Tours, Residency Grant from Nordic Culture Point and Kaarel Kurismaa's birthday

Come speak octopus with us!

Kristina Õllek & Tuomas A. Laitinen. Photos Kert Viiart & Diana Luganski

Come join us this Thursday, May 16th at 5pm for a public tour of ‘Cyanoceans’. It’s a rare occasion for both artists Tuomas A. Laitinen and Kristina Õllek to be in Tallinn at the same time, so don’t miss it if you want to hear the fascinating backstory of our current show. The tour is in both English and Estonian, and free with an exhibition ticket.

In their first collaboration, Laitinen and Õllek provide a comprehensive overview of their recent works, creating an alluringly translucent environment. Together, the artists create a thought-provoking narrative that invites us to reflect on our responsibility for the planet which is part of us, undivided from our bodies, and to question whether humans as a species are ready to adapt to the climate challenges of the near future.

Kaarel Kurismaa turns 85

Kaarel Kurismaa in 1966

Join us this Sunday, May 19th at 7pm for a special screening at the Sõprus Cinema at Kai to celebrate legendary Estonian artist Kaarel Kurismaa’s 85th birthday. The specially curated film program will look back on the life and work of the influential icon of kinetic and sound art. The program includes animated films Tram Calf (1983), It Moves? It Moves! (1977), and Klaabu (1978), as well as the documentary The Edges of Timelessness with Kaarel Kurismaa (2023) by Alyona Surzhikova. Tickets can be purchased here.

Kai receives a residency grant from Nordic Culture Point

Fawn Krieger, National Park. Photo courtesy of Portland Institute of Contemporary Art and Heather Zinger.

We are excited to receive a residency grant from Nordic Culture Point for 2025-2026 programming. While we get the Open Call in motion, check out what our previous resident Fawn Krieger has said about her time in Estonia:

‘The research residency at Kai is remarkably special – it’s visionary and characteristically Estonian in its structure – open and responsive to each person, while also carefully shaped and considered – magical in its synergy. The opportunity gave me a deeply meaningful and contemplative period to truly bond with a city and its creative community, fostering a certain quality of exchange that expands the region past its borders.’

Launched in 2019, Kai Residency supports innovative practices and develops global networks. As the only residency for international art professionals in Tallinn, it bolsters the local art context through exchange, dialogue, and collaboration with Estonian cultural pratitioners. The Kai Residency curator is Kari Conte.

Looking for collaborators

Photo: Aron Urb

If you are curious about new issues of A Shade Colder or Space Choreography, you can find them at Kai. We also have a carefully-curated selection of Estonian and international art books by publishers like Lugemik, the Estonian Academy of Arts, and Kumu Museum. In addition, Kai is looking for unique design items for our shop. If you make something that would resonate with our contemporary art focus or our location by the Baltic Sea, we want to hear from you. Please answer a few question here and we will gladly get in touch.