At the heart of the new exhibition is the material from which all textile art begins life. Everything depends on the material chosen: from the artist's working process to the end result.

"When we say 'textile art', we understand that material is involved in some way. But in fact, we rarely talk about it. We don't draw the viewer's attention to what materials we use and why," said the exhibition's curator Aet Ollisaar.

"On the one hand, material is a means of making your idea visible – something that works and functions in a certain technique and something familiar to us. On the other hand, material is always a carrier of memory – it participates in the embodiment of an idea and sometimes even becomes the main character when a thought begins to develop from some amazing material," she added.

Ollisaar also emphasized that the theme of sustainability is especially important in the modern world. For that reason, the exhibition features works created from found and recycled materials.

"Material is a resource, and not an infinite one. Its value, expressiveness, and potential ought to be used to the maximum," said Ollisaar.

According to the curator, the exhibition also reflects a broader trend: the growing importance of textile techniques in the contemporary art world.

"We can go to the Venice Biennale or the Spring Exhibition of the Estonian Artists' Association, and textiles are at the forefront there; you don't have to go searching for them. The Estonian Textile Artists' Association lives according to that same rhythm; we all feel the importance of the material," said Aet Ollisaar.

"Attention, Material!" the annual exhibition of the Estonian Textile Artists' Association, opened at the Pallas Gallery in Tartu on November 29. The exhibition will remain open until January 3.

More information is available (in Estonian) here.

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