BIENNIAL: FOTO TALLINN 2026
Foto Tallinn 2026 will take place from September 18 to September 20 at Kai Art Center.
Foto Tallinn is a biennial international art fair presenting work selected by a jury of leading experts and represented by artists and galleries, bringing the latest contemporary photographic art to audiences while offering collectors and art enthusiasts the opportunity to discover new artworks, new ideas, and the artists themselves.
The contemporary photography art fair Foto Tallinn is presenting to the public the exhibitions of 16 galleries and 15 individually applied artists, selected by an international jury. In total, the fair will feature works by 45 artists, the majority of whom will be present in person to introduce their work. The Foto Tallinn 2026 jury comprised highly respected professionals from the art world: Anna Tellgren (Moderna Museet, Stockholm), Jeppe Ugelvig (New York), Margot Samel (New York), Sara Giuliattini (Polycopies, Paris), and Foto Tallinn 2026 Artistic Director Lilian Hiob-Küttis.
Foto Tallinn received a record number of applications this year, with all jury members highlighting the high standard and diverse approaches to contemporary photographic art. ‘The overall quality of submitted works was very high, which made the selection and evaluation process both competitive and engaging,’ commented Artistic Director Lilian Hiob-Küttis. ‘Identity, memory, and the construction of meaning emerged as recurring themes – expressed through the direction of attention towards seemingly marginal details. This focus is particularly pertinent at a time when the overabundance of images and information has become unsettlingly intense. The artists explore how the world is structured and how the viewer’s perception and understanding of meaning are shaped,’ she added.
Jury member Sara Giuliattini noted that projects that stood out for her were those exploring fundamental questions inherent to the photographic medium: experimental approaches that challenged the very nature of photography, interrogating its own substance. ‘I find the final selection of participants heterogeneous and rich in its facets, covering a wide range of contemporary creative expression. The topics explored and the materials used are varied, offering exciting discoveries for art lovers and collectors,’ said Giuliattini.
This year’s Foto Tallinn features a significantly greater number of commercial galleries than ever before – 16 galleries presenting works by 30 artists in total. ‘The participating galleries are established players on the international stage, with a strong presence at leading art fairs worldwide,’ said Lilian Hiob-Küttis. Alongside the gallery selection, visitors will also have the opportunity to encounter the work of 15 independently applied artists, who will be present at the art fair to introduce their artwork. ‘Visitors, whether collectors, curators, or art audiences, can expect a tightly curated, internationally engaged fair with a particular emphasis on Baltic and Nordic galleries and artists,’ added Hiob-Küttis.
Foto Tallinn 2026 participating galleries and the artists they present:
ALMA & (LV): Rasa Jansone (LV), Vika Eksta (LV); ASNI (LV): Agate Tūna (LV); Drifts (LT): Janina Sabaliauskaitė (LT/UK); FOKU Gallery (EE): Johanna Adojaan (EE), Roman-Sten Tõnissoo (EE), Tanja Muravskaja (EE), Tuukka Kaila (FI/EE); Gallery Halmetoja (FI): Antti J. Leinonen (FI), Elina Brotherus (FI); Helsinki Contemporary (FI): Emma Sarpaniemi (FI); ISSP Gallery (LV): MAREUNROL’S (LV), Rūta Kalmuka (LV); Kogo Gallery (EE): Kristina Õllek (EE), Līga Spunde (LV); Maksla XO (LV): David Penny (UK), Roman Korovin (LV); Punctum Gallery (EE): Joosep Kivimäe (EE), Kristine Krauze-Slucka (LV); SIC (FI): Sauli Sirviö (FI); Temnikova & Kasela Gallery (EE): Flo Kasearu (EE), Krista Mölder (EE), Sigrid Viir (EE); Kaunite kunstide akadeemia / Uniarts Helsinki (FI): Ananya Tanttu (FI), Diana Luganski (FI), Erkki Huilla (FI); TOBE Gallery (HU): Kincső Bede (RO); Tütar Gallery (EE): Dénes Farkas (EE/HU); Vasli Souza (NO): Hilla Kurki (FI), Taavi Rekkaro (EE).
Independently applied artists: Bob Bicknell-Knight (UK/EE), Elena Kristofor (UA/AT), Francesca Marengo (IT/UK), Gedvile Tamosiunaite (LT/DE), Jói Kjartans (IS/NO), Liina Leo (EE), Maria Kapajeva (EE/UK), Maryam Touzani (NL/MA), Mia Dudek (PL/PT), Naguel Rivero (AR/FR), Paul Kuimet (EE), Sarah Stone (UK/BE), Saskia Reis (DE), Sofia Runarsdotter (SE), Thordis Wolf (AT).
The Fair is organised by Foto Tallinn, the Estonian Union of Photography Artists, and the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center. Foto Tallinn 2026 is supported by Sorainen, Sunly, Artproof, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, and City of Tallinn.
More information: www.fototallinn.ee