One of Estonia\u2019s oldest and leading contemporary art institutions, the Tallinn Art Hall (Tallinna Kunstihoone), is reopening on 13 November after a five-year, \u20ac13m renovation. The kunsthalle relaunches with the exhibition Estonian Art from Beginning to \u2026, which will trace the Baltic nation\u2019s art history from the 19th century to now. <\/p>\n
The institution has been exhibiting in the Tallinn City Gallery and its new extension at the Lasnam\u00e4e Pavilion since closing in March 2021. It will now return to its original home in Tallinn\u2019s main public plaza Freedom Square, where it first opened in 1934.<\/p>\n
The renovations were led by Juhan Rohtla of the local firm KUU Architects, and have involved preserving the historic facade of the building and significantly altering the interior, according to a statement. The interior changes include enlarged galleries, new routes and an underground Black Box gallery dedicated to performance and time-based work. The historic nightclub KuKu Club will return to its original, now refurbished location in the Art Hall\u2019s basement, where it opened in 1935.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the oldest and largest commissioner and producer of contemporary art in Estonia, Tallinn Art Hall has a unique role within the country’s cultural landscape,\u201d Paul Aguraiuja, the director of Tallinn Art Hall, says in a statement. \u201cThis moment marks the beginning of an exciting new international chapter for Tallinn Art Hall.\u201d<\/p>\n
The international element of the reopening includes substantially updated infrastructure which will allow the institution to host \u201csignificant international museum loans\u201d for the first time, according to a statement. The technical updates include \u201cenhanced load-bearing capacity, advanced hanging systems, museum-grade environmental controls, high-pressure water infrastructure and state-of-the-art sound technologies\u201d.<\/p>\n