MAAGILINE METS- rahvusvaheline illustratsiooninäitus

MAGICAL FOREST – international illustration exhibition At the Museum of New Art 10.10.–15.11.2026 There are seafaring peoples and forest peoples, and there are desert peoples. Estonians are both a seafaring and a forest people; the forest is close to our hearts and dear to us. We don't always know how to appreciate the richness around us. But even those peoples who have very little forest left feel its pull. The forest both frightens and attracts. In the tales told by ancient people and the fairy tales written down, too, the forest has two faces. Dangerous and gloomy woods have been home to all kinds of dark forces, witches and giants, who are always doing and wishing evil. Flickering lights lead lonely travelers astray; headstrong and capricious fairies may torment travelers who fall under their spell and take them away, only to send them back a hundred years later to a world changed beyond recognition, where the enchanted must continue their lives as lonely souls, belonging to neither this world nor the other. Also familiar are the little forest houses, with their frightening appearance but kindly old people, who help and guide travelers with a sense of justice and compassionate hearts who have lost their way to them. Even the animals in the forest have two faces. There are evil and predatory beasts that do not hesitate to tear apart a traveler who has stayed out too late in the cruelest way and make a meal of them. And there are friendly animals that, in gratitude for a thorn pulled from their paw, come to the rescue in times of trouble with their whole family and often even save lives. The attitude of ancient Estonians toward the forest was generally favorable. The forest offered protection from foreign rule and force; a knowledgeable person found remedies for illness there. The forest fed and clothed us, and gave us shelter. The forest's evil always paled beside human evil, and in the forest there was salvation. In the olden days, the Forest Elder often crossed the path of a woodcutter or hunter, testing their kindness and sense of justice. Kindness was rewarded with a found way home or unexpected riches. Dishonesty and carelessness were punished more or less severely. Women and men with knowledge have always lived in the forest or at its edge. They frightened the villagers a little, but helped and healed them in times of real need. Forest elders who give justice to the just and punishment to the deceitful would be useful in today's world, too. We have seen far too much impunity and carelessness toward the forest. Today, it is not people who need protection from the forest, but the forest that needs protection from people's greed and acquisitiveness. European forests are mostly safe in our time; the gloomy woods are more a memory, but the forest's magic has survived. The mystery and magic remain, as does the dream of the forest. That is why the artists I invited to participate connected so readily with the theme and happily agreed to introduce us to their enchanted forests. Every person has their own forest, and every forest has its own magic. That is what you can see in these exhibition pictures. The exhibition features illustrations by 17 [contact details withheld] and 31 artists from abroad—from a total of 15 countries. Representing Estonia with their work are Regina Lukk-Toompere, Anne Linnamägi, Catherine Zarip, Piret Mildeberg, Jüri Mildeberg, Piret Niinepuu-Kiik, Katrin Ehrlich, Ulla Saar, Kadi Kurema, Urmas Viik, Kadri Ilves, Anne Pikkov, Kertu Sillaste, Tuulike Kivestu-Rotella, Kristi Kangilaski, Kaia Rähn, Viive Noor and Marja-Liisa Plats. From other countries, the participating artists are Virpi Talvitie (Finland), Ana Juan, Ignasi Blanch, Josep Antoni Tàssies and Laura Pérez Granel (Spain), Rebeka Luciani (Argentina), Judith Clay, Olaf Hajek and Stefanie Harjes (Germany), Hanna Karaleva (Austria), Martin Jarrie (France), Joanna Concejo (Poland), Lena Revenko and Natalie Pudalov (Israel), Gundega Muzikante, Anita Paegle, Aleksejs Naumovs, Arta Ozola-Jaunaraja, Gita Treice and Anda Strautniece (Latvia), Glenda Sburelin, Andrea Calisi, Daniela Costa, Daniela Iride Murgia, Matteo Gubellini, Anna Forlati and Sergio Olivotti (Italy), Marius Jonutis (Lithuania), João Vaz de Carvalho (Portugal), Alefes Silva (Colombia) and Natalia Mirzoian (Armenia). Curator: Viive Noor Exhibition open at the Museum of New Art 10.10.–15.11.2026 The exhibition is supported by: the City of Pärnu and [contact details withheld] Cultural Endowment Museum of New Art Rüütli 40a, Pärnu Open Wed–Sun 11–18 www.mona.ee [http://www.mona.ee] tel: 4430772