Aasta Tekstiilipreemiad 2024

On March 17, a jury composed of representatives from various creative fields gathered at the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design to select the laureates of the annual awards of the Estonian Textile Artists Association.

Awards were presented in three categories: Textile Artist of the Year, Young Textile Artist of the Year, and Textile Act of the Year. In addition, the jury decided to present a Lifetime Achievement Award and two Special Awards.

Aune Taamal

Aune Taamal (b. 1963) received the award for her exhibition activity in 2024, including the solo exhibitions “The Snail Climbing Mount Fuji, Slowly…” at the HOP Gallery and “Two Steps Inward…” at the Saaremaa Kunstistuudio, as well as participation in the exhibition “Verba Creant” in Barberino di Mugello (Italy), the group exhibition “In Five Ways” at the Ugala Theatre (curated by Reet Talimaa), and the annual exhibition of the Estonian Textile Artists Association, “Color of the Year Is Diverse”, at the Museum of New Art.

The artist experiments with various textile materials and techniques, often favoring transparent textures that allow the creation of multilayered spatial installations. She graduated in textile art from the Tallinn Art University (now the Estonian Academy of Arts) in 1993.

Aune Taamal is a member of the Estonian Artists Association, the Estonian Textile Artists Association, and Studio 22. Alongside her artistic practice, she has worked as a gallerist at the Lühikese Jala Gallery since 2012.

Kristina Oja

Young Textile Artist of the Year 2024 is Kristina Oja (b. 1999), who received the award for her passionate approach to textile art and machine knitting.

The recognition was given for her knitting project “Katkenud joon” (“Broken Line”, supervisor Imbi Armas), her knitwear collection “Ma olin kadunud” (“I Was Lost”, supervisors Liisa Kanemägi and Kirke Talu), inspired by family history and archival photographs, its further development, and the project “Teine” (“The Other”).

Kristina Oja studied textile design at the Estonian Academy of Arts and tailoring–styling at the Tallinn Industrial Education Centre. She has also continued her studies at the Escola d'Art i Superior de Disseny de València.

She has participated in several group exhibitions and the ERKI Fashion Show. In 2024, she was awarded the Mari Adamson Scholarship.

Kristina Oja has described her creative practice as follows:
“When asked what I do today, I would probably answer that I knit. Knitting is a tool that guides me through the uncharted territories of existence.”

Leadership of the Viljandi Heritage Festival by Ave Matsin

Ave Matsin (b. 1973) received the Textile Achievement of the Year award for her leadership of the Viljandi Heritage Festival.

The Viljandi Heritage Festival “Heritage Heals” (“Pärand parandab”) took place in October 2024, organized by the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy under the auspices of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

The festival programme included an international conference, workshops, and a heritage celebration, collectively presenting various aspects of intangible cultural heritage and offering diverse perspectives on traditional knowledge and skills. The Viljandi Heritage Festival was also part of the main programme of European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024.

As part of the festival, the international conference “Heritage in the Service of Sustainable Communities” was held, along with eight international masterclasses in heritage, crafts, and folk music, as well as a heritage celebration introducing vibrant guests from UNESCO Cities of Crafts and Folk Art around the world.

Ludmilla Swarzcewskaja

Ludmilla Swarczewskaja is a consistently active textile artist with a distinctive and recognizable artistic language, and a member of the Estonian Artists Association and the Estonian Textile Artists Association since 1998.

Ludmilla Swarczewskaja was born on 15 July 1949 in North Ossetia. From 1968 to 1972, she studied at the Kalinin Art and Industrial School in Moscow, and from 1973 to 1978 at the Estonian State Art Institute, specializing in textile and fashion.

In her work, she reflects on nature, music, poetry, and human relationships, translating her ideas into abstract color compositions. She primarily works in the gobelin technique, though she often presents collage-based compositions alongside her tapestries. She has participated in dozens of exhibitions in Estonia as well as in Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Italy, and Russia. Most of her works are held in private collections in Estonia and abroad, as well as in the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design and the Estonian Actors' Union. Her monumental textile panel “Atleetika” (“Athletics”) decorates the Pärnu Sports Hall.

Ludmilla Swarczewskaja is a persistent and tireless creator who does not miss opportunities to exhibit and share her work. Celebrating her 75th anniversary this year, she recently opened a solo exhibition “Connecting Threads” at the Hopner House, and also presented a solo exhibition at the Pärnu City Gallery. She is currently participating in the Estonian Textile Artists Association annual exhibition “Color of the Year Is Diverse” at the Museum of New Art (curated by Aet Ollisaar), as well as in the association’s 30th anniversary exhibition (Re)Awarded (curators Helen Adamson and Triin Jerlei).

From 1978 to 1994, she worked as an artist at the Pärnu Linen Combine, from 1992 to 1993 as a stage consultant at the Latvian National Opera, and from 1995 to 1998 as an art teacher at Pärnu Sütevaka Humanitarian Gymnasium. She has also worked as an artist at AS Vikero Tekstiil (1998–1999) and Krenholm Holding Ltd (1999–2000), as a lecturer in composition at Euro University (1999–2001) and LEX University (1997–2002), and has supervised diploma theses at the Estonian Academy of Arts Applied Arts College (2002–2004). Since 2005, she has been working as a freelance artist.

PERSONAL EXHIBITION AT PÄRNU LINNAGALERII

Mr. George P. Kent and
Mrs. Velida Kent

The Textile Friend of the Year 2024 recognition was awarded to George P. Kent and Velida Kent.

In 2024, former U.S. Ambassador to Estonia George P. Kent initiated close cooperation with the Estonian Textile Artists Association, resulting in several meetings and events. This marks the first time that an ambassador of any country has established such extensive collaboration with a professional association in this field.

Special recognition is also due to Velida Kent for her gingerbread model of Heimtali, depicting the buildings of Anu Raud and the Heimtali complex, incorporating motifs inspired by some of Anu Raud’s most well-known tapestries. Through this initiative, the work of Anu Raud, and Estonian textile art more broadly, has reached diverse audiences both in Estonia and internationally.