Five years ago, the "Ma ei saa aru" ("I Don't Get it") festival was established with a clear aim – to introduce contemporary art to a broader audience. Since, then each edition of the festival has put a different art form in the spotlight through a series of exhibitions, talks, tours, and workshops.

Following last year's foray into the world of fashion, in 2025, "Ma ei saa aru" is all about illustration.

"We always try to find something totally different from the previous year and that maybe also would not come to your mind immediately when thinking about contemporary art," Bianka Soe, one of the festival's two main organizers, tells ERR News. "I also believe illustration is a medium that is surprising in that way."

Soe points out that people "tend to think illustration is something that belongs to books, especially children's books, and that its main aim is to support the text."

That association is not entirely unjustified. This April, as part of the celebrations marking 500 years since the first text was published in the Estonian language, Soe even curated an exhibition about illustration and animation at the world-renowned Bologna Book Fair.

Nevertheless, "Ma ei saa aru" aims to prove that illustration "can also be an independent, vital, and very cool art form, too."

Sandwiches with Summer and Wind

At the heart of this year's event is "Sandwiches with Summer and Wind," the festival's main exhibition, on display at Telliskivi's Roheline Saal.

"It's truly an artwork in its own right," the exhibition's curator and festival co-organizer Lilian Hiob-Küttis tells ERR News, adding that the aim here too is to highlight "the autonomous artistic value of illustration."

"Many of the artists in the show worked in Soviet publishing houses, and even those who've had major solo shows in museums often don't consider their illustration work part of their 'serious' art," Hiob-Küttis says. Illustration instead tends to be seen as "functional or secondary," and gets "pushed to the margins of their artistic identity."

And, as Bianka Soe points out, there are historical reasons for that.

"In Soviet times, the art scene, together with literature and illustration, was watched over by the political agencies," Soe explains.

"But fantasy, science and children's literature were fields where the control was not so strict. Established artists who also illustrated books at that time, had more freedom in their expressions in these fields. They could hide comments, symbols and reflections of our independent past and imprisoned present in them."

"In 'Sandwiches with Summer and Wind,' we try to highlight the freedom of expression and emotions in the illustrations and also show how these illustrations work perfectly as independent works of art," says Soe.

Quietly progressive

It's not just illustrations from Estonia's past that are worthy of attention. According to Soe, the current scene is "in very good shape and constantly evolving in different directions."

Estonia's younger generation of illustrators "have all the access in the world to follow universal trends, but (their) illustrations are still so varied and unique," Soe says.

Soe believes that's at least partly down to the fact that Illustration is not specifically taught on the art school curriculum. As a result, Estonia's illustrators "have their own personal, self-taught style and are also free from the formal knowledge that can sometimes also restrict creation."

Lilian Hiob-Küttis agrees, adding that both in the past and the present, "Estonian illustration has always felt quietly progressive."

"Take Vello Vinn, for example – his work creates an entirely singular visual universe. The wordplay, the surreal wit – it's clever, subversive, and original. He's always been something of an illustration-trickster, and what's remarkable is how fresh and sharp his works from the 1980s still feel nearly half a century later."

"Then there's Eiko Ojala," Hiob-Küttis says," whose minimalist digital collages have graced the covers of The Economist and The New York Times. His aesthetic is so refined and instantly recognizable, and in a way, he embodies the image of Estonia as a small but technologically forward-thinking country. He's like a one-man cultural export – putting Estonia on the global map, one illustration at a time, from the quiet of his studio."

Deep respect for the process

"Ma ei saa aru" is not just about showcasing Estonian contemporary art. This year's edition also includes a Japanese calligraphy workshop, highlighting connections between artistic practices in Estonia and those from much further afield.

According to Bianka Soe, while Estonian and Japanese illustrations differ in many ways, they do explore some similar themes. "Japanese illustration often emphasizes minimalism, clean lines, and subtle use of color. This can also be found in Estonian illustration, particularly in children's books and contemporary art," she says.

"But we can't ignore the fact that Japanese illustration is more likely to include manga-influenced dynamics, vibrant expressions, or stylized characters, while Estonian illustration tends to be quieter, more introspective, and sometimes more abstract or melancholic."

Lilian Hiob-Küttis believes greater similarities between art produced in Estonia and Japan may instead lie in a shared philosophical outlook.

"What connects Estonian and Japanese printmaking is the filigree of the technique and deep respect for the process," Hiob-Küttis says.

"Both cultures treat printmaking not just as a way to reproduce images, but as an art form in itself  where time, labor, and material are all part of the expression."

Plenty to discuss

Both Soe and Hiob-Küttis emphasize that "Ma ei saa aru" offers something for everyone, from those taking their first tentative steps into the world of contemporary art to established professionals working in the field.

For Soe, one of the highlights of the festival will be the series of public talks: "where the focus theme – in this case illustration – is taken to pieces and discussed from many sides."

"We have tried to organize the talks so everyone who is even a bit interested in art and illustration can find something to listen to and take some new thoughts and views home," she explains.

"One will be about whether we are drowning in the midst of the illustrations and pictures, asking 'is there too much visuality around us, can we cope with that and how does this affect our mental health?'"

"But Illustration is such a wide territory," Soe says. "It's not only a part of books, but everything around us: social media, posters, comics, video games and more. There is so much to talk about that even a 3-day festival will not be enough to cover it all."

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The 2025 "Ma ei saa aru" festival takes place in Tallinn's Telliskivi Creative City from Thursday, May 8 until Saturday, May 10. All the events on the program are free to attend and everyone is welcome to attend. Many are being held in English.

More information about the 2025 program is available (in Estonian) here.

The exhibition "Sandwiches with Summer and Wind" will be on display until July 20 at Telliskivi Creative City's Roheline Saal. More information is available here.

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