I am pleased to inform that the XII Global Estonian Cultural Festival ESTO is taking place after a long time. This year the events take place in Helsinki, Finland, Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia. Read here more what the FESTIVAL is about.
I will have two exhibitions up during the festival. One in Tartu and the other in Tallinn. I have taken lots of photos in Toronto, Canada showing the Canadian Estonians and therefore I am really proud that my photos of them can be presented during this wonderful festival. The first exhibition to open in Tartu is brand new and very colorful, a long time project to finally come real. I took the portraits of Canadian-Estonians in 2014 and just this year the whole project culminated with a wonderful LED-framed exhibition. The second one, also a portrait exhibition, but black and white has previously displayed once in Tartu, Estonia, but now can be reached to a wider audience in Tallinn for just a week.
During the ESTO 2019 week in the Green Hall of Telliskivi Loomelinnak is displayed a portrait photography exhibition “Canadian Estonians – In light and shadow”, which introduces people with Estonian roots living in Toronto. I met with the Estonians born in Canada, those who recently immigrated there or had to flee their native Estonia to a new country. I conducted interviews with Estonians living abroad, took their portraits and photographed items that describe their essence the best.
The exhibition displays 13 high-quality black and white portraits, which were able to reach the viewers due to immense help from VEMU – Museum of Estonians Abroad. Thanks to the funding of the institution, the lives of the Estonians from the other side of the world, most of whom had to immigrate to Canada, can be seen by Estonians in Estonia.
The idea of the exhibition emerged to me during my first visit to Canada. While living in Toronto, I got to know an enormous Estonian community and I met many interesting people, whose achievements made me think of an exhibition. I was truly surprised by how many Estonians one can find in the big North American city.
NB! “Canadian Estonians – In light and shadow” is a pop-up exhibition, as it is open just for a week, so if you have any interest to see it, then please plan your visit in ahead, as it can be viewed only from 29th of June until 7th of July, every day from 11 AM – 6 PM. Entrance is free! The descriptions of the photographs are in Estonian, but I would gladly help to translate it to English if you contact me via my e-mail.
