Echoes! Tallinn exhibition spotlights Nordic and Baltic children’s book illustrators

A new exhibition in Tallinn celebrates the imagination and cultural depth of children’s book illustration from 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 celebrating the vibrancy and depth of visual storytelling in today’s children’s books from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.

Curated by Estonian illustrator and designer Ulla Saar, Echoes! brings together work by more than 30 artists – from rising talents to established names – whose illustrations offer a contemporary, emotionally resonant take on children’s literature. The selection spans the playful and poetic to the raw and thought-provoking, offering glimpses into how today’s illustrators explore themes of identity, memory, nature and the shifting landscape of childhood.

Visitors can discover a range of distinctive artistic voices from the region, with work by illustrators such as Akvilė Magicdust, Anete Melece, Aušra Kiudulaitė, Elina Brasliņa, Jani Ikonen, Kristin Roskifte, Rán Flygenring, Rebeka Lukošus and Viktorija Ežiukas, among others. From delicate pencil sketches to bold digital compositions, each piece offers a window into the artist’s cultural background and creative process.

The exhibition also highlights the cultural threads that connect the region, while celebrating the distinct visual languages that set each country apart. Though rooted in children’s literature, the works speak to audiences of all ages, offering adults a nostalgic yet refreshingly contemporary take on the region’s storytelling traditions.

“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,” says Ulla Saar, curator of Echoes!. “My original title for the show was Nordic States of Illustration – a play on the idea that, despite borders, the ideas are often remarkably similar.”

Currently based at the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Ulla Saar has been illustrating children’s books for over a decade. Her curatorial approach for Echoes! goes beyond simply hanging images on walls – each illustration is displayed alongside the book it originally appeared in, inviting visitors to engage with the work in its full narrative context.

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

For Saar, illustration is a deeply personal act. “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’m illustrating 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 for art, design and offbeat culture – was a deliberate choice for the exhibition. “It’s a space where people pass by every day,” Saar says. “I wanted to take the illustrations out of their comfort zone and reach people who might not think they’re interested in art or illustration. This way, the works connect with a much wider audience.”

Saar also highlights the often-underestimated role 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 matter because they help children absorb certain values early on – so they grow up understanding the world around them, not misinterpreting it,” she adds.

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

While the full exhibition brings together work from more than 30 illustrators, the images featured in this article offer only a glimpse into the rich and varied visual storytelling on display – a testament to the enduring power of illustration to cross borders, generations and genres.