It’s a new year and what better way to start off 2023 than with the launch of a new book by our friends at Lugemik, and a new installation in our project space!

Dear Friend is a monthly snail mail project initiated in 2019 by Sandra Nuut and Ott Kagovere at the Department of Graphic Design of the Estonian Academy of Arts. The letters were born with the idea to cultivate design writing culture and connect with our community at home and abroad. The publishing project dedicated itself to covering ideas, events, and more in design and visual culture in a letter format bringing together various authors. The edition was in the beginning 100 to later 200 letters each month, which were riso-printed and hand-folded in a collaborative manner. Half of the edition was distributed locally and another half globally, traveling to design institutions, schools, and professionals.

At the occasion of the launch of the Dear Friend Catalogue, our on-going exhibition celebrating 100 books by publisher Lugemik will welcome an installation of all the Dear Friend letters from 2019 till 2022.

Starts at 18:00. Entrance is free, no reservation is required.

The installation can be viewed from Saturday 14 till Thursday 19 January, during our regular opening times, Wednesday through Sunday, 13:00-18:00.

About Lugemik

Lugemik is an independent publishing initiative based in Tallinn, Estonia, founded in 2010 by graphic designer Indrek Sirkel and artist Anu Vahtra. In 2013, Lugemik opened its first bookshop on the premises of the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM) and in 2020, its second location under Tallinn Art Hall.

Lugemik is currently run by Indrek Sirkel. Indrek Sirkel (b. 1984) is a graphic designer, educator and publisher based in Tallinn. In 2015, he became the head of the Department of Graphic Design of the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) and in 2020 was elected to be the professor of Graphic Design. Since September 2022 he is a junior researcher and a doctoral student at the Doctoral School of EKA.

About the Artists

Ott Kagovere (b. 1983) of Dear Friend is a Tallinn-based graphic designer and the head of the Department of Graphic Design at the Estonian Academy of Arts.

Sandra Nuut (b. 1987) of Dear Friend is a curator at the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design (ETDM). Her work includes writing, lecturing and curatorial projects in the design field. Previously she worked at the Estonian Academy of Arts and New York based gallery Chamber.