Exhibition “Figurative Curves” showcases the best in book design

Starting today, the exhibition “Figurative Curves” is open in the large hall on the 2nd floor of the library. The exhibition showcases the finest examples of Estonian book design from the past 70 years. It offers an overview of how aesthetic ideals, technical possibilities, and perceptions of the best and most beautiful books have evolved between 1956 and 2025.

Curators Edith Hermann and Ivar Sakk have selected 10–15 works from each competition year for the exhibition, bringing together more than 1,000 award-winning books in total. In addition to the books themselves, the exhibition also highlights 25 Estonian book designers whose work has left a lasting mark on the country’s book design tradition.

As an artifact, a book combines content and form into a readable and tangible whole through design, typography, illustration, and printing techniques, reflecting the aesthetics and ideology of its era. Before the visitor’s eyes, the exhibition unfolds as a unique cultural chronology of Estonian book design — inviting viewers to observe, browse, compare, and discuss, while shifting attention not only to the content of books but also to their form and context.

The exhibition opening will take place on May 13 at 5 PM. Additional events include a curator’s tour by Ivar Sakk on Monday, May 25, from 4–5:30 PM, and a curator’s tour by Edith Hermann on Thursday, May 28, from 4–5:30 PM.

The exhibition “Figurative Curves” will be on display at the university library until June 26.

Exhibition partners: the Estonian Depository Library, Tallinn University Academic Library, University of Tartu Library, Viimsi Library, Pallas University of Applied Sciences, Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonian Publishers’ Association, Estonian Literary Museum, Estonian Literary Society, and Valge Kuup Studio.