Tartu library opens illustration exhibition on childhood memories

The University of Tartu Library has opened “Bright Memory,” an exhibition bringing together several generations of Estonian illustrators and contemporary illustration from around the world, ERR reports.

Works by 54 illustrators from around the world were submitted through an open call. The exhibition offers different interpretations of childhood memories, imagination and visual memory.

It also features works by Kertu Sillaste, Ilon Wikland, Edgar Valter, Ülle Meister and Ede Peebo, along with pieces from the collections of Iloni’s Wonderland and the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre.

Maarja Kõuts, head of Iloni’s Wonderland, said at the opening that illustration has a special place in childhood memories.

“Illustration is often one of the first forms of art we see as children, and therefore it accompanies our memories throughout our lives,” Kõuts said.

“Bright Memory” relates to the theme of the 2026 Tartu Illustration Festival, “Playful Patterns.” It brings together works by artists from different eras and examines how images, motifs and visual patterns recur in our memories and acquire new meanings.

The exhibition will remain open at the University of Tartu Library until September 26.