Exhibitions

PERCEPTUAL FIELDS

Leho Rubis, Janno Bergmann
PERCEPTUAL FIELDS
7.02 – 1.03. 2026

The opening of the exhibition took place on Friday, February 6 at 18:00. At the opening, musician Sakiko Ishii (chromatic kannel) performed sound improvisations. Pictures of the opening of the exhibition can be viewed here.

In the media:
ERR Olev Kenk, Raplas avati Janno Bergmanni ja Leho Rubise näitus “Tajuväljad”
Raplamaa Sõnumid: GALERII | Uus näitus vaatleb inimese teadvuse ja tajuväljade suhet

For the first time, the Rapla County Centre for Contemporary Art  brings together two artists who have celebrated their 50th anniversary, Janno Bergmann and Leho Rubis, whose exhibition “Perceptual Fields” examines the relationship between human consciousness and perception fields. Over the years, both authors have created thematically brief aesthetic worlds. It is a unique visual encounter where artists, using different technical techniques such as printmaking, photography, installation and painting, observe the relationship between human consciousness and the surrounding reality and culture. The human experience in this world can be described from the perspective of the world-perception of an intertwined genomic, cultural or empty consciousness freed from inner noise.

Janno Bergmann and Leho Rubis deal with these questions, trying to answer them not intellectually, but with the help of the central question of visual art – “how”. This means that one possible answer to the questions about our mortality, the nature of consciousness, etc., finds expression in the exhibition primarily in the complete aesthetic system created by the authors, alluding to the sacredness of existence, which is hidden in the deep layers of our own perceptual experience.

About the authors:

Janno Bergmann was born in 1975 in Pärnu. He began his art studies in 1994 at the art department of Pärnu Sütevaka Humanitarian Gymnasium and has been active in the art field since 1996. He has realised his work through a variety of mediums, including painting, printmaking, performance art, video art, conceptual art, sculpture, installation art, and photography.

Janno Bergmann is a founding member of the performance group Non Grata. He worked as an assistant to Ilya Kabakov in New York from 2000 to 2001. Since 2009, he has been associated with the Art Container group.

Since 2014, he has been working as a freelance curator, from 2017 to 2023 he was the coordinator of the Vaskjala Creative Residency, and since 2025, he has been coordinating the residency programme of the Pärnu Artists’ House.

Janno Bergmann has been awarded the Pärnu Annual Art Award 2013 and the title of Pärnu County Cultural Pearl 2025. Outside his homeland, he has exhibited his work in Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Sweden, Germany, Australia, Norway, Georgia, Finland, Japan and Belgium. In her personal projects, he deals with the themes of art, culture and communication, reinterpreting the myths of contemporary art history and looking for poetic imagery in visual art.

Leho Rubis (1975) is an artist, musician and orientalist. He studied painting (BA 2001) and art history (MA 2010) at the University of Tartu. Since 2003, he has been involved in North Indian classical music and is involved in various music groups. The most important object of study in his art history is the history of Buddhist iconic art, with a focus on the possibility of depicting deeper states of consciousness. His interest in human consciousness is also directly related to the themes and motifs of his figurative painting. Inspired by various traditions of Asian canonical art and the history of European painting, he has created a style of expression in which the static nature of the figures creates a multi-layered perceptual fabric together with the liveliness of the textures. The main focus is on the indescribable yet ever-present consciousness.

His solo exhibitions have taken place in Estonia, India and Egypt. In 2010, he curated the joint exhibition of Estonian artists “A Gift to Arvo Pärt”, which was dedicated to the composer’s jubilee. He has also been the artistic director of the cultural festivals “Kolmkõla” and “PaIDA”. Since 2021, he has been the author of the Estonian Classical Radio series “Raaga aeg”.

Previous media covering of the authors
„Vikerkaar” (Leho Rubise „Poeetiliste sisemaastike“ tajuväljad , 12/2025 – Vikerkaar )
„Postimees” (INTERVJUU ⟩ Kunstnik Leho Rubis: aja jooksul on Eesti looduse askeetlik nüansirikkus mulle järjest huvitamaks muutunud ),
ERR (Pärnu kunsti aastapreemia Janno Bergmannile | Kunst | ERR, Galerii: Janno Bergmanni isikunäitus “Mikrogenees” kompab taju piire | Kunst | ERR ).

The exhibition is open 07.02 – 01.03.2026, Tue – Fri 15.00 – 18.00, Sat – Sun 12.00 – 15.00 at the Rapla County Centre for Contemporary Art, Tallinna mnt 3b

Events

New board member Eteri Tõlgo

Since July 2025, the Rapla County Centre for Contemporary Art has a new board consisting of Kairi Orgusaar and Eteri Tõlgo.

Feature story in the newspaper “Raplamaa Sõnumid” by Siim Jõgis: Eteri Tõlgo: “Art is my great helper.” https://sonumid.ee/2026/02/11/eteri-tolgo-kunst-on-minu-suur-abiline/

Eteri Tõlgo has been associated with the art centre since its foundation. He has contributed to activities related to Rapla County, having designed more than ten county exhibitions, including large overview exhibitions such as “The Line Flowing Under the Hand” and “Being in Art”. She has contributed to the development projects of the art centre, helping with the art community in updating the gallery space and in the activities of the new lighting solution. Eteri is also involved in art, participating in exhibitions and courses.

Former board member Riin Pallon left the RCCCA  to focus more on her work and teaching art. Since October, she has been working in her studio “Liberal Arts”.

 

Events

Artist talk: PHOENIX 2

Sunday, 14. On December at 13:00, we will celebrate the last day of the exhibition “Phoenix 2” with a meeting with the artists and an exhibition tour.

At the meeting, the curator of the exhibition, Eveli Varik, and some of the artists participating in the exhibition will share their experiences – they will talk about the creative process, the themes of the exhibition, and much more. Everyone interested is welcome to see the exhibition together once again and talk to the authors.

The exhibition “Phoenix 2” is the second appearance of this year in the chain of exhibitions of the new artists’ association. The first joint performance took place from 09.03 to 03.04.2025 at Pärnu City Gallery, where the group of female artists of the same name was born in the exhibition mirror from the point of view of tests.

This time, we celebrate the miracle of birth more consciously, and in accordance with the phoenixes. In the course of preparing for the exhibition, in addition to creating new works, we also engaged in so-called introspection – it would be more accurate to say mapping the views of the Phoenixes on some of the most important issues that women artists are more generally associated with. Based on the experiences of 20-30 years of artistry, we considered the distribution of energy between creativity and family responsibilities, the reflection of gender and age in creation, the sources of ideas and inspiration, i.e. where creative POWER comes from. We solved the measurement of one’s own creation, based on the main thesis of the classics of feminism, according to which man = intellect/culture, woman = body/nature, in a more modern form, contemplating the connections between NATURE and CULTURE in creation.

Visitors to the exhibition will be able to compare and relate the self-reflections formulated as the text of the Phoenix Women. with works of visual art. The space of more than 200 square meters is filled with visual mystery. There is nothing accidental in the room, which has been specially reconfigured with new partitions, but at the same time, everyone is looking for a a combination of works of art through the balance it creates. This time, the works are grouped by author, which is why the placement of each author in the whole becomes important. The uniqueness of the artists and the diversity of techniques is what makes the exhibition unique.

Participants: Katrin Valgemäe, Alide Zvorovski, Marina Aleksejeva, Anne Rudanovski, Katrin Saag, Maria-Kristiina Ulas, Ülle Saatmäe, Maris Siimer, Kalli Kalde, Kaire Nurk, Katrin Kaev, Lylian Meister, Lembe Ruben, Tiiu Rebane and Eveli Varik.

The author of the music piece “Sweet Sweet” is Rene Varik. The initiator of the idea of the phoenix, curator/designer Eveli Varik

The exhibition is open until 14 December, Tue – Fri 15:00 – 18:00, Sat – Sun 12:00 – 15:00. Closed on Monday. Info: kairi [dot] orgusaar [at] mail [dot] ee

Exhibitions, Now open

Phoenix 2

The art of Phoenixes
You are all invited to the opening of the exhibition of the female artists’ group Phoenix on Friday, 21.11.2025 at 18:00 at the Rapla Contemporary Art Center.

The opening exhibition “Phoenix 2” is the second appearance in the series of the new artists’ association this year. The first joint event took place on 09.03-03.04.2025 at the Pärnu City Gallery, where the group of female artists actually was born while testing themselves with the mirror of exhibition.

This time, we are celebrating the miracle of birth more consciously, and in a way fittingly for the Phoenixes. In the course of preparing the exhibition, in addition to creating new works, we also engaged in so-called introspection – it would be more appropriate to say, mapping the Phoenixes’ positions on some of the most important topics female artists are generally associated with. Through 20-30 years of experience as artists, we looked at the distribution of energy between creation and family responsibilities, the reflection of gender and age, the sources of
ideas and inspiration, or where creative POWER comes from. We solved the measurement of one’s own creation, based on the basic thesis of feminist
classics, according to which man = intellect/culture, woman = body/nature, in a more modern form, reflecting on the connections between NATURE and CULTURE in creation.

Guests of the exhibition can compare and connect Phoenixes` the self-reflections formulated as texts with the exhibited visual artworks. The more than 200-square-meter space is filled with visual mystery. There is nothing random in the room specially segregated for the event, but at the same time each combination of the works seeks its own place through balance created. This time the works are grouped by author, it makes the placement in the whole important. The uniqueness of the artists and the diversity of techniques are what makes the exhibition unique.

The following artists will be performing at the Rapla County Contemporary Art Center: Katrin Valgemäe, Alide Zvorovski, Marina Aleksejeva, Anne Rudanovski, Katrin Saag, Maria Kristiina Ulas, Ülle Saatmäe, Maris Siimer, Kalli Kalde, Kaire Nurk, Katrin Kaev, Lylian Meister, Lembe Ruben, Tiiu Rebane and Eveli Varik.

The music for the exhibition “Magus magus” is by Rene Varik.
The exhibition will remain open until mid-December.
On the last day, Sunday, 14.12.2025, the exhibition will be closed within 13:00-15:00 with artist talks.

Next year, in 2026, the activities of the Phoenix will continue at the same pace, currently preparing for performances in two galleries in Tallinn.

Events, Exhibitions

Artist talk at the exhibition DUO: Restraint and Explosion

On Sunday, 2 November at 14:00, we will celebrate the last day of the exhibition “DUO: Restraint and Explosion” with a meeting with the artists and an exhibition tour. At the meeting, some of the artists participating in the exhibition will share their experiences – they will talk about the creative process, the themes of the exhibition and the possibilities of watercolour. Everyone interested is welcome to see the exhibition together once again and talk to the authors.

On 10 October, the Estonian Watercolour’ Association’s large group exhibition “DUO: Restraint and Explosion” was opened at the Rapla County Centre for Contemporary Art.

The exhibition brings together nearly thirty renowned and diverse authors. Most of them are members of the Estonian Watercolourists’ Association, but there are also guest artists. “DUO: Restraint and Explosion” does not mean harmony, but a constant field of tension. The works explore contrasts and extremes – silence and sound, the purity of light and the depth of shadow, cold and warmth, balance and its breakdown. The viewer is placed in a situation where balance is not given by itself, but is sought, shifted and sometimes even broken. Conflict here does not mean the end, but the beginning of something new.

Participating artists: Rein Mägar, Marje Üksine, Anneliis Vabul, Maria-Kristiina Ulas, Kelli Valk, Erki Kannus, Kristiina Roots, Svea Lind, Zhanna Toht, Veera Stanishevskaja, Kärt Karjatse, Sergei Minin, Merje Rääbis, Anna Sui, Illimar Paul, Lea Malin, Eleny Kasemets, Eve Ermann, Christel Allik, Tiina Tammetalu, Marju Bormeister, Aleks Kase, Eve Viidalepp, Kadri Bormeister, Kairi Orgusaar, Kerstin Rei, Mari Roosvalt, Naima Neidre, Agne Kuusing-Suomi and Jaan Elken.

Curators: Mari Roosvalt, Kerstin Rei, Kairi Orgusaar.
Graphic Design: Kati Kerstna.

The exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

The exhibition is open from 11.10 to 02.11.2025. Tuesday to Friday from 15:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 15:00. Rapla County Centre for  Contemporary Art, Tallinna mnt. 3b

Courses, Events

Seminar on Gallery Lighting

On Monday, 20 October, a seminar on gallery lighting took place at the Rapla County Centre for Contemporary Art, where Marco Planting, a representative of ERCO Lighting, introduced various gallery lighting and exhibition lighting options.

The seminar was accompanied by a practical workshop, which was facilitated by Meelis Tähepõld and Margus Soa from Hedengren Eesti OÜ. The seminar was attended by representatives of various galleries, museums and associations from all over Estonia: Madis Matesen (Estonian History Museum), Maret Tamme (Tartu Art House), Valmar Pappel (Art Museum of Estonia, EKM), Indrek Grigor (Tartu Art Museum TARTMUS), Aleksei Saks (REMOTE EXPO/REMOTE CONTROL), Stella Mõttus (Kogo Gallery), Stina Leek (KETT gallery), Johannes Luik (EKKKM), Annegret Kriisa (Tartu Art Museum TARTMUS), Indrek Köster (Estonian Artists’ Association), Üla Koppel (Okas Museum), Kati Kerstna (Estonian Glass Artists’ Association) Breakfast Mari Voksep (Resto Sinu kodus)

Photos: Tiina Kõrtsini

Exhibitions

DUO: Restraint and Explosion

https://kultuur.err.ee/1609828359/galerii-akvarellikunstnikud-avasid-raplas-suure-ulevaatenaituse
https://sonumid.ee/2025/10/14/traditsioon-ja-eksperimentaalsus-kohtuvad-akvarellis/

On 10 October, the Estonian Watercolour’ Association’s large group exhibition “DUO: Restraint and Explosion” was opened at the Rapla County Centre for Contemporary Art.

The exhibition brings together nearly thirty renowned and diverse authors. Most of them are members of the Estonian Watercolourists’ Association, but there are also guest artists. “DUO: Restraint and Explosion” does not mean harmony, but a constant field of tension. The works explore contrasts and extremes – silence and sound, the purity of light and the depth of shadow, cold and warmth, balance and its breakdown. The viewer is placed in a situation where balance is not given by itself, but is sought, shifted and sometimes even broken. Conflict here does not mean the end, but the beginning of something new.

Participating artists: Rein Mägar, Marje Üksine, Anneliis Vabul, Maria-Kristiina Ulas, Kelli Valk, Erki Kannus, Kristiina Roots, Svea Lind, Zhanna Toht, Veera Stanishevskaja, Kärt Karjatse, Sergei Minin, Merje Rääbis, Anna Sui, Illimar Paul, Lea Malin, Eleny Kasemets, Eve Ermann, Christel Allik, Tiina Tammetalu, Marju Bormeister, Aleks Kase, Eve Viidalepp, Kadri Bormeister, Kairi Orgusaar, Kerstin Rei, Mari Roosvalt, Naima Neidre, Agne Kuusing-Suomi and Jaan Elken.

Curators: Mari Roosvalt, Kerstin Rei, Kairi Orgusaar.
Graphic Design: Kati Kerstna.

The exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

The exhibition is open from 11.10 to 02.11.2025. Tuesday to Friday from 15:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 15:00. Rapla County Centre for  Contemporary Art, Tallinna mnt. 3b

Courses

Drawing and Painting course

We welcome you to paint and draw on Thursdays from 18:00 to 20:00.
The course starts on 2 October and lasts until 18 December. The course fee is 50 euros per month, if paid by semester, the discount price for 3 months is 135 euros. The course begins with various drawing exercises. In November, we will continue with painting etudes in different techniques, supervised by Kairi Orgusaar. As the technique of the spring exhibition is oil painting, we will focus on oil painting techniques at the end of this semester.
Registration: kairi [dot] orgusaar [at] mail [dot] ee">kairi [dot] orgusaar [at] mail [dot] ee.
This course is for adults.
Events, Exhibitions

Kairi Orgusaar at the Venice Glass Week

Kairi Orgusaar exhibited her installation “The Formula of Harmony” at the Venice Glass Week HUB at Palazzo Loredan as part of the Venice Glass Week.

On Saturday, 13 September, the ninth Venice Glass Week, entitled “The Magic of Glass”, was officially opened. Until 21 September, Venice, Murano and Mestre became venues, with more than 200 glass art events taking place in 130 venues and more than 300 artists from all over the world participating. The programme ranged from exhibitions and installations to workshops, tours, conferences and demonstrations in open glass studios.

The festival programme included two group exhibitions: “Venice Glass Week HUB”, which took place at the Veneto Institute of Science, Literature and Arts in Palazzo Loredani, where the works of 50 renowned international artists were represented, and “Venice Glass Week HUB Under35”, which took place for the first time at the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa Galleria di Piazza San Marco and showcased the work of 30 young talents.

The exhibition was put together by a curatorial committee led by the renowned Venetian glass historian Rosa Barovier Mentasti and consisting of international glass experts: Nina Alessandri, Cristina Beltrami, Jean Blanchaert, Rainald Franz, Mikkel Hammer Elming, Susanne Jøker Johnsen, Cristina Tonini and Alma Zevi.

Kairi Orgusaar’s participation in the Venice Glass Week was supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

 

Coming soon, Events, Exhibitions

Existences within Art

You are invited to the opening of the exhibition “Being in Art” on Saturday, 3 May at 15:00. As part of the exhibition, the new lighting solution of the ICDS will be opened and introduced to the art community of Rapla County.

In 2025, it will be 30 years since the establishment of the Rapla Art Society, which is a significant event in the cultural life of Rapla. These years include several revolutionary stages in both social life and the development of the county’s art life. This anniversary gives us a reason to look back with gratitude to the various inspiring art projects led by Krista and Jaan Urvet. Today, these initiatives have grown into new collaborations and several artists. To celebrate the jubilee year, an exhibition “Being in Art” will be held in the spring and a conference on the topic will be held in the autumn.

The Urvets’ activities in the field of art began in the 1980s, when Jaan Urvet organised exhibitions of renowned Estonian artists at the Rapla KEK with the help of the Art Foundation. In 1981, the Urvets founded the children’s film studio MINI-ANIMA, with Krista Urvet as its artistic director. The studio created animated films that achieved success at festivals all over the Soviet Union, bringing several important awards to Rapla. The studio operated for 10 years. At the beginning of the nineties, musician and businessman Toivo Kurmet appeared in Rapla from exile. In January 1992, he led the establishment of the charitable foundation MAGHIRA FOND (MF)

In the same year, the foundation founded the MF MAGHIRA ART SCHOOL. The school project was led by Krista Urvet, who was also an art teacher at the Rapla Vesiroosi School. By 1993, MF had become insolvent and there was no support from the local government either. After Estonia regained its independence, a social movement emerged and an umbrella organisation was established to support the hobby and continuing education of adults, the Estonian Association of Non-Formal Education, of which the Maghira Art School also became a member. Grants were received for adult handicraft course students through various projects. The art school ceased its activities in 1995 In the same year, 1995, the RAPLA ART SOCIETY was founded on the initiative of the Urvets. Some former members of the Rapla Art Club, artists and amateur artists from all over Rapla County joined the society. The number of members reached 30 people.

The art trainings for adults took place in the premises of the Rapla Art Society Workshop, which was located in the rectory belonging to the Rapla congregation. The training programmes were approved by the Ministry of Education and Research. The trainers were artists and masters recognised in their fields. The society regularly organised art camps and exhibitions. Exhibitions of Estonia’s renowned professional artists and amateurs were exhibited in the Rapla Central Library, Rütman Gallery and throughout Rapla County.

In 2013, the Rapla Art Society was renamed the Rapla Handicraft and Art Society, the organiser of which was Ivi Sark. The society has continued to organise conferences, study trips and adult trainings. In 2010, former teachers of the Rapla Art Society, Kairi Orgusaar and Riin Pallon, founded the Rapla County Contemporary Art Center (ICDS), which organises exhibitions, trainings and various art events in the ICDS Gallery. This year, the ICDS celebrates its 15th year of operation.

The exhibition “Being in Art”, dedicated to the jubilee, features amateur artists and professionals who have been connected to Rapla County for three generations. All participants have studied or taught at Mini-Anima, Maghira Art School, Rapla Art Society or Rapla County Contemporary Art Center.
ParticipantsMaiu Albo, Mikk Allas, Moyo Eivas, Mauri Gross, Ain Jürisalu, Jaak Kadarik, Erki Kannus, Katrin Kirsipuu, Mai Klemmer, Eha Koit, Sirkka Lasner, Mathura, Maiu Mooses, Kairi Orgusaar, Riin Pallon, Urmas Puhkan, Erki Põld, Avo Päädam, Editha Salm, Ülla Sirendi, Eda Taevas, Ave Tislar, Eteri Tõlgo, Krista Urvet, Märt Vaidla, Siret Varimõis.
Exhibition Design: Eteri Tõlgo
Graphic Design: Kati Kerstna

The exhibition is open: 3 – 23 May 2025, Tue – Fri 15.00 – 18.00, Sat – Sun 12.00 -15.00 Rapla Contemporary Art Center, Tallinna mnt.3b, III floor.

Major exhibitions and recognitions:
2003 – Exhibition in Helsinki
2004 – Exhibition in Axevalla (Sweden)
2005 – “Deed of the Year” for organising the events of the Year of Arts
2006 – joint exhibition in Madona (Latvia) with works by 23 artists from Rapla and three art schools (Märjamaa, Kehtna, Kohila)
2007 – Krista Urvet was awarded the annual award of the Rapla County expert group of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia
2008 – Krista Urvet was awarded the cultural award “Rapla Locomotive”

Rapla County Centre for Contemporary Art