Critical Mass — A Contemporary Printmaking Exhibition in Tallinn

GÜ gallery 9.–28.03.2026

Mon–Fry 12–18, Sat 12–16

Opening on 9 March at 18:00

Contemporary printmakers have joined forces for Critical Mass, a joint exhibition at GÜ Gallery in Tallinn with a powerful international collective presence that explores the concept of the tipping point — moments when change becomes inevitable.

This exhibition in Tallinn from March 9 – 28, 2026 is part of an international printmaking project organized by printmakers associations in Estonia, Finland and Sweden. Joint exhibitions and workshops are scheduled to take place during 2026–2028 in Tallinn, Turku and Stockholm. Works are by members of the Association of Estonian Printmakers (EVÜ), Turku Printmakers Association (TTG) and the Artists’ Collective Workshop (KKV Stockholm). The exhibition showcases recent work created in the past two years, realized through printmaking techniques and/or engaging with the media of printmaking. Around the time of the exhibition opening, the Association of Estonian Printmakers will host a two-day workshop at Graafikakoda, adjacent to GÜ Gallery in the ARS Art Factory in Tallinn, Estonia. The workshop will bring together 3–4 participants each from Estonia, Finland, and Sweden for exploration and networking.

Works in Critical Mass respond to the theme of a tipping point, whether societal, cultural, conceptual or aesthetic. Critical Mass seeks to examine the conditions under which transformation occurs, and what forces are required to bring it about. Artists were encouraged to interpret this theme freely and broadly, examining directions such as the formation of collective identity through shared experience, the momentum and impact of social movements, questions about truth, attention and cognitive limits with respect to information saturation and aesthetic investigations into accumulation, density and thresholds of meaning.

The result is a thought-provoking international dialogue that reflects the complexity and potential of these moments we live in and a celebration of the medium of printmaking.

Participating artists are Janina Haapanen (FI), Annette Hammarén (SE), Inga Heamägi (EE), Laura Heino-Laurila (FI), Anneli Hilli (FI), Kalli Kalde (EE), Petra Kallio (FI), Nina Kerola (SE), Sirkku Ketola (FI), Miina Laine (FI), Teija Lehto (FI), Solveig Lehtonen (FI), Lotta Leka (FI), Samuli Makkonen (FI), Sara Manninen (FI), Meri Matleena (FI), Elle May Palumäe (EE), Inari Raaterova (FI), Lilli-Krõõt Repnau (EE), Annette Ronàld (SE), Jaan Saar (EE), Taru Salonen (FI), Paula Suominen (FI), Laura Tahvanainen (FI), Tea Tikka (FI), Aino Toivettula (FI), Kadri Toom (EE), Kelli Valk (EE), Jirko Viljanen (FI).

Curated by Elle May Palumäe

We thank the visionaries, initiators, and drivers of this collaborative project: Tiina Vainio, Paula Suominen, Teija Lehto, Inari Raaterova, Nina Kerola, Annette Hammarén, Loit Jõekalda, Tarvo Hirs and many others.

Made possible by Turku Printmakers Association and The Association of Estonian Printmakers