On focus

Merike has represented Estonia in a series of group exhibitions, among them the Prague biennale, the Biennale of Young Artists in Tallinn, “No Borders” organised by the International Association of Art Critics in Belgium, Greece and Spain, the contemporary Estonian art exhibition in Guangzhou, China and many more, and has won a number of international prizes. 

She has exhibited internationally in venues like Ars Electronica, Fischer Museum,  Rijksmuseum Twenthe, Photon Gallery, SciArt Initiative, DC I/O, Culture Hub LA, FakeMeHard, Gogbot, Currents New Media, xCoax, DA Fest, Sariev Contemporary and Queensland Center for Photography. She has been a resident artist at STEAM Imaging III with Ars Electronica & Fraunhofer MEVIS, Vermont Studio Center, ACRE, Photo+Sphere and a member of UCLA Art Sci Center | Lab.

You will see a giant owl split in half on the façade of the College of Arts at the University of Coimbra – just one work of the “Big Trash Animals – Neutral” series, which Bordalo uses to attract attention to the climate change problem and the sustainability goal. 

Bordalo`s artwork shows the destruction and beauty in nature itself. He says: “I think that art is a very powerful tool to achieve this.” His work has been exhibited all over the world in New York, Tel Aviv, Paris, Barcelona, and Berlin just to name a few cities”.

At present Dulk switches between urban art, drawing, painting, sculpture and advertising and each of these media is a challenge he takes with eagerness and imagination. He participated in a lot of group shows around the world in cities as Vancouver, Miami, New York, Brussels, Paris or Chicago. Urban art and mural painting are perhaps what he is most famous for, as well as the expression of his strong ecological conviction to defend ecosystems and the most vulnerable species.

Zuzanna’s practice is always tied to various political discourses.

She believes artists have the obligation to be critical to the prevalent pursuit of nationalist and economic interests and highlight the absurdity of rigidity and intolerance.

Her own works often blur the lines between commercial products, architectural relic and artistic production and turn the gallery space into a dystopian lounge.

The boys move to London which, in their own words, “was an instant reality check as it shattered all of our illusions pretty quickly”. But they also met Dennis, their current Finnish drummer. Yet, London was hell for them, as they say it is for any artist, so on they moved again, this time to Manchester. Four years with a studio in the living room and a vocal booth in the closet, much to the annoyance of the neighbours, produced and recorded Always So Simple, The Feeling, Blue and many more, up until AP/NP. 

The Tallin-based artist’s next EP Illusions is a balance between R&B and soul-pop. It is considered darker, more feminine, yet vigorous and more experimental than her previous work.

In December 2020, she released How Much, a lush urban-jazz contemporary ballad that serves as the first single from her latest album YASMYN, out in spring 2021.

The track comes in collaboration with Estonian label TIKS Rekords and follows the artist’s successful transition to a more indie-soul image. 

Yasmyn is an exciting persona.

Her third album Balance reached worldwide fame, disclosed her unique sensibility, and blended the sounds of Europe and Africa. For it, Tavares was nominated a New Artist for BBC World Music Awards in 2007.

Two years later followed Xinti and in 2017 Fitxadu that increased the electronic and urban sound and was nominated for Grammy Lations.

Sara Tavares won the award for Best Female Voice at the Cape Verde Music Awards in 2011. 

Rels B’s style resounds a variety of international influences from trap and reggaeton to funky Latin soul and Spanish folk styles and rock & roll. After a series of popular singles, he issued his debut album “Player Hater” in 2015. With “Boys Don't Cry” Daniel capitalized on his success and entered the Spanish charts at number 12. One thing that makes him recognizable is his very personal lyrics that imply his life experience, inviting the audience to relate. 

They created the band as teenagers in 2015 during their high school days in Rome, with Ethan Torchio from nearby Frosinone soon joining them when they were inquiring for a drummer to complete the line-up. And they started busking in Rome, playing at their school, restaurants, and wherever they could get a gig. “In Rome there aren’t many venues for upcoming bands, so it was quite hard,” recounts De Angelis. “That’s why we played a lot on the streets. We really worked hard and spent every day immediately after school rehearsing and never going out anymore with our friends.”