A contemporary art centre is to launch at a former submarine plant at Port Noblessner in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, on 20 September.
Called the Kai Art Centre, the new art space will be based in the 100-year-old heritage-protected former submarine production plant in Tallinn’s Noblessner area. The former shipyard, a short walk away from the capital’s popular Kalamaja district, has, in recent years, seen massive redevelopment and is fast becoming one of the trendiest places on its own right. A mix of restored late 19th and early 20th century factories – now housing offices, shops and restaurants – and newly built colourful residential buildings line up the harbour, offering views over the Tallinn Bay.
The Kai Art Centre, initiated by the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Centre, will provide a 450-square metre (4,844-square foot) top-floor exhibition space, an auditorium and an education centre. It will also offer working space for local art organisations. The first floor will include a contemporary restaurant and several food studios hosting classes and workshops for the visiting public.
Local synergies and international collaboration
Functioning as a cultural hub for local and international art, the centre will present four main exhibitions a year, in collaboration with both Estonian and international curators, and its 100-seat auditorium will host diverse cultural events. The centre’s inaugural exhibition will be an international group show, part of the city’s contemporary art biennial, the Tallinn Photomonth.
“Kai is a new type of contemporary art centre in Tallinn. In an increasingly active art scene, the centre’s support for grass-roots organisations and purpose-built exhibition space for contemporary art is in demand,” Karin Laansoo, the director of the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Centre, said in a statement. “The centre is driven by the vision of bringing together local synergies and international collaboration.”
The Kai Art Centre launches on 20 September with “Let the field of your attention…. soften and spread out,” – an international group show curated by Hanna-Laura Kaljo.
Cover: A rendering of the Kai Art Centre, once it’s renovated. Courtesy of KAOS Architects.
