Echoes! Exhibition in Tallinn celebrates Nordic and Baltic children’s book illustration

A new exhibition in Tallinn highlights the imaginative power and cultural richness of children’s book illustration across the Nordic and Baltic region.

From 9 May to 10 August 2025, the Telliskivi Creative City Gallery in Tallinn hosts Echoes! Contemporary Illustration in Children’s Literature – an international exhibition showcasing the vibrancy and depth of visual storytelling in contemporary children’s books from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.

Curated by Estonian illustrator and designer Ulla Saar, Echoes! brings together the work of over 30 artists – both emerging talents and established names – whose illustrations reflect a contemporary and emotionally resonant approach to children’s literature. The selected works range from playful and poetic to thought-provoking and raw, offering glimpses into how today’s illustrators interpret identity, memory, nature and the evolving experience of childhood.

Visitors can explore unique artistic voices from the region through the work of illustrators such as Akvilė Magicdust, Anete Melece, Aušra Kiudulaite, Elina Braslina, Jani Ikonen, Kristin Roskifte, Rán Flygenring, Rebeka Lukošus and Viktorija Ežiukas, among others. From delicate pencil sketches to bold digital compositions, each piece opens a window into the artist’s cultural context and creative process.

The exhibition also draws attention to the cultural threads that weave these countries together, as well as the distinct aesthetic languages that set them apart. While rooted in children’s literature, the works resonate far beyond young readers, offering adults a nostalgic – yet fresh – perspective on the storytelling traditions of the region.

“I wanted to bring together voices from across the Baltic and Nordic states because, while the visual styles vary, the themes and emotions are surprisingly aligned” Ulla Saar – Echoes! curator – explains. “My original title for the show was Nordic States of Illustration – a play on the idea that despite borders, the ideas are often similar to one another.”

Currently also working at the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Ulla Saar has been creating children’s illustrations for over a decade. Her curatorial approach to Echoes! extends beyond hanging artwork on gallery walls – each illustration is shown alongside the book it originally appeared in, allowing visitors to engage with the works in their intended context.

“Children’s book illustration is so much about context – tearing the images out and putting them on a wall removes that. I wanted visitors to be able to touch the books, read them and see how the illustration functions within the story,” Saar notes.

For Saar, illustration is deeply personal. “The name Echoes! comes from the idea that everything I create for children today echoes back to my own childhood” she says. “When I draw a teacher, I illustrate someone who taught me as a kid – even if that image, with a strict bun and striped shirt, doesn’t really exist anymore. I want children to ask questions, to connect and to understand.”

Telliskivi Creative City – Tallinn’s hub of art, design, and offbeat culture – was a deliberate choice for the exhibition. “It’s a space where people pass by every day. I wanted to take the illustrations out of their comfort zone and meet people who might not think they’re interested in art or illustration” Saar adds. “This way, the works connect with a much wider audience.”

Saar also points out the often-underestimated importance of children’s literature in reflecting and shaping societal change. “The first books to respond to big global events are often children’s books – they’re faster to produce, more affordable and can speak to both children and adults” she says. “They are important because they help children learn certain values early on – so they can grow up understanding the world around them, not misinterpreting it” she added.

Echoes! is set to travel to Vilnius in 2026, continuing its journey across the region.

While the full exhibition features over 30 artists, the images selected for this article offer just a glimpse into the rich and varied visual storytelling celebrated.