Perspectives from Gallerists. Interview with Sille Luiga, Fideelia-Signe Roots and Katrin Kosenkranius from A-Galerii

More than thirty years on, A-Galerii still operates under this distinctive artist-led model, bringing together over sixty artist-members who are also its co-owners and custodians. This association-based structure fosters a way of working rooted in shared responsibility, trust and a collective vision of jewellery’s cultural role.

In this interview, Sille Luiga, Fideelia-Signe Roots and Katrin Kosenkranius — the three gallerists who now run A-Galerii’s daily operations — reflect on their individual paths and on how this artist-led structure informs their approach to exhibitions, collaborations with makers and engagement with audiences. They also discuss the Estonian contemporary jewellery scene, its international networks, and how a gallery can remain at once a place of sales, an exhibition space and a living community.


A-Galerii was founded in 1994 as an artist-run association. Today, your gallery team consists of Sille Luiga, Fideelia-Signe Roots and Katrin Kosenkranius.
Could you tell us a bit about your individual backgrounds and what led each of you to take on the role of representing and running A-Galerii?
Sille Luiga: I am a jewellery artist and a designer (sometimes I use the name Sile Luik), I have an MFA from the Estonian Academy of Arts, specialising in jewellery, and around 3 years ago, I started working for A-Galerii gallery as the coordinator and curator of their exhibitions program. My motivation back then was the same as now: I really love contemporary jewellery and art, I enjoy consuming it and creating it, and I want to do my best to make the field prosper.  

Fideelia-Signe Roots: I’m an artist with a BA in Painting (University of Tartu), an MA in interdisciplinary arts, and a PhD in art from the Estonian Academy of Arts. My background expanded further when I also trained in confectionery, forklift operation, and digital marketing. Digital marketing is what appeals to me most. Social media marketing, content creation, and analytics bring together analytical and creative thinking, which mirrors my artistic practice and offers the right balance of problem-solving and joy. I didn’t know much about jewellery when I started working at A-Galerii 2.5 years ago, but I’ve learned a lot since then. A-Galerii has been my first employer as a digital marketer. 

Katrin Kosenkranius: I ended up at A-Galerii quite by chance, while I was studying in the jewellery master’s programme at the Estonian Academy of Arts. The gallery work was passed on to me by a fellow student. By now, I am probably one of the few, if not the only one, who has worked at the gallery continuously for ten years. During that time, I have witnessed an extremely wide range of developments in the gallery.


Sille Luiga, Fideelia-Signe Roots & Katrin Kosenkranius at A-Galerii, 2025. Photo by Geit Eero. 


You mention that three gallerists are responsible for the daily operation of A-Galerii, supported by a board whose members change every three years. For readers unfamiliar with this model, could you explain how an artist-run / association-based gallery functions? Is it built like a classical gallery model, or does it differ?
Sille: A-Galerii was founded in 1994 by 32 artists as an artist-run association, and still today the gallery is artist-run with 65 jewellery/metal artist members/shareholders – they have legal responsibility if something goes wrong and potential to earn profit if everything goes well. Historically, tho every time there has been profit, instead of payouts they all have opted that the profit is used for some bigger projects beneficial for the gallery and the artists. From this 65 owners, the board is chosen by election, so 5 people from them are more active. For example, they are responsible for accounting, payouts for the artists, helping with advertisement campaigns, bigger events, etc. 
I don’t think that's classical at all. I think it’s quite cool and an alternative way to do business. It is sometimes also challenging as it needs a lot of understanding, compromises and emotional attachment regarding our goals.

Fideelia: A-Galerii is structured differently. There isn’t a single owner who takes the profit. As gallerists, we need to be strong, independent thinkers and sometimes make quick decisions on our own. This system can be challenging when you’re new to the field, but it gets easier, and in most cases, the board members are only a phone call or message away. I enjoy the freedom in my social media role, and I can see that the artists’ community has grown to appreciate the content I create.

Katrin: The gallery was founded with a clear sense of mission: to promote the field of jewellery art and to make author jewellery more accessible to everyone. It is worth remembering that 31 years ago, we didn’t have social media or many opportunities to present ourselves and our work publicly. Most of the information circulated from person to person, by word of mouth. The artists who brought the idea of A-Galerii to life have mentioned that artists working in other applied arts disciplines were even a little envious, as they hadn’t managed to achieve such unity among themselves. Of course, when many artists share the same space, there are bound to be plenty of emotions and opinions as well.
In the early years, all the artists took turns sitting in the gallery and selling jewellery themselves, receiving payment only when they managed to sell one of their own pieces. Naturally, such a system would no longer work today. Never before in the gallery’s history have there been so few staff members as there are now, while at the same time the workload and the number of represented artists  (around a hundred by now) have increased significantly.


Managing a gallery that represents over one hundred artists looks like a big job. How do you organise your daily work among the three of you?
Sille: All of us do a little bit of everything. I mainly work with the artists having exhibitions in our spaces VAULT and WINDOWS. I find some funding for the exhibitions and related projects, run the open-calls, make the program, set deadlines, edit the input from artists, plan set-ups, openings and take-downs, coordinate exhibitions documentation and artist talks, I curate our bigger group exhibitions and do some of the communication for the gallery. I feel like my biggest responsibility is that all of the gallery's activities stay of high professional quality, exciting and diverse, while at the same time keeping in mind that our friendly, warm attitude doesn’t get lost. People tend to forget that usually these qualities are contradictory, and it takes a lot of energy to keep a balance like that.

Fideelia: It’s a big job. When I started, I was full-time: five days a week, doing everything. The hardest part was juggling paperwork. Pretty soon, I moved to a half-time schedule like the others. At times, there were so many other tasks that there was no time left for marketing at all. As a result, it was decided that I could work from home most of the time. I enjoy my work as a digital marketer, and I’m committed to this field, so it makes sense to create an environment where I can actually focus and do the job well.

Katrin: When I started working at A-Galerii ten years ago, my main task was serving customers and during quiet hours, dusting the showcases and cleaning the jewellery when needed. At that time, there were few visitors, the cabinets gleamed with cleanliness, and most days were spent simply waiting for the evening to come.
Today, communicating with visitors is still my main responsibility, but now it also includes managing the online store. My tasks include photographing the works, editing images, and uploading them to the website with all the other information. I also handle receiving jewellery from artists, pricing the pieces, displaying them, and various administrative tasks related to running the gallery. To a small extent, my work also involves bookkeeping, such as calculating artist monthly fees and conducting inventory. Since not all of us work daily, tasks from other gallerists sometimes end up on my desk as well and vice versa.
All of this has to be done while simultaneously engaging with visitors. Quite often, I feel like a kind of confidant. People from the street come in and may spend an hour sharing their views on the world. It’s usually pointless to come to work with a fixed plan — the only certainty is that it hardly ever goes as planned.


Revealing exhibition by Maija Vitola-Zitmane at the A-Galerii Vault at the beginning of 2025. Photo by Valdek Laur.


A-Galerii primarily represents Estonian artists. For those who may not know the scene, how would you describe the je ne sais quoi of Estonian style?
Sille: Probably, we have the biggest concentration of jewellers per population, which means there is a lot of support as well as competition that drives people to be extra creative and innovative. Estonian jewellery is intelligent, touching and wild.

Fideelia: From my perspective as a non-jewellery artist, Estonian contemporary jewellery is innovative and bold: total installations, jewellery that has evolved into sculpture, and materials and technologies you’ve likely never heard of. Some artists even build jewellery machines from scratch, just to make the outcome perfect.

​Katrin: There is definitely a distinction between exhibition pieces and works made for sale. Exhibition works are generally bolder and more boundary-pushing. The influence of scholars and mentors also plays a major role. The late Kadri Mälk and her circle of artists have probably been the most significant in shaping the international perception of Estonian jewellery so far. Her students’ works were often dark, deeply contemplative, and wrapped in a kind of mystical fog. The main focus was on searching for one’s roots, whether in the spiritual or the earthly realm. Jewellery was meant to make you think, not to give you answers.
In our gallery, however, the range of jewellery is remarkably diverse. Each artist has a distinct voice, whether through their preferred technique (filigree, marriage of metals, enamel, galvanics, anodising, mokume-gane, niello, and others) or through their playful and inventive way of thinking. Perhaps this diversity itself is what characterises Estonian jewellery most: there is still a deep respect for traditional techniques, combined with the courage to experiment with and modernise them.


The Weight of Nothing by Nathaniel Lazar at A-Galerii Windows. Photo by Valdek Laur.


As practising artists yourselves (please correct me if I’m mistaken), how do you define the artist–gallerist relationship within such a collective structure? What do you expect from this relationship?
Sille: In Estonian, we have a saying ‘don’t bite the hand that feeds’, for a gallery to run, I think it is important each link in the system acts accordingly to it and doesn’t take advantage over another. The “food” however, is a very broad subject. For example, money isn’t the biggest motivator for most of the work I do or for the other artists, and the price of a piece isn’t the most important aspect for a buyer either. This might be even more important to remember.

Fideelia: I feel my relationship with A-Galerii is mutually beneficial. My approach to all kinds of tasks is a form of bricolage. I arrived with experience from different fields, and the gallery gave me a platform where I could put it all into practice. At first, I didn’t know what to expect, and I had doubts about whether it would work out. I’ve been overwhelmed at times, but I’ve stayed. A-Galerii has a special place in my biography because I’ve worked here longer than anywhere else in my life. For me, 2.5 years in the same place is a long time.

Katrin: I wouldn’t call myself an active artist. I make perhaps one or two exhibition pieces a year. Still, having a background as a jewellery artist shapes how I understand and approach my work at the gallery. It gives me a sense of what artists need and how they think.
The artist–gallerist relationship here is quite different from a traditional commercial gallery model. Because A-Galerii was founded and is still run by artists, the relationship is more horizontal: based on mutual understanding, shared responsibility, and trust.
We understand what it means to create, to take risks, and to put something deeply personal into the world. This makes communication with artists more empathetic and practical at the same time. Our goal is not only to represent artists, but to sustain a space that belongs to the entire jewellery community, a platform that keeps evolving through everyone’s participation.
From this relationship, we expect openness and collaboration. The gallery can function well only when artists are engaged, proactive, and willing to be part of a collective dialogue. In return, we try to provide an environment that supports artistic growth and visibility both locally and internationally.


You recently participated in a seminar organised by Norwegian Crafts. Do you feel a strong connection with neighbouring countries and with the broader contemporary jewellery scene in the region? Are there any formal or informal collaborations, either through A-Galerii or among committee members? By the way,  are you the only gallery in Estonia dedicated specifically to contemporary jewellery?
Katrin: A-Galerii can indeed be considered something of a Mecca for contemporary jewellery in Estonia, as it is the largest and most established gallery of its kind. Collaboration is mostly handled by Sille, who also represented us at the seminar organised by Norwegian Crafts and could certainly speak about it in more detail. 

Sille: The seminar in Oslo was such a nice opportunity for us. I was very happy to represent the gallery, and I hope we will see some fruits of this collaboration for years to come. For example, we had some discussions with the National Museum of Norway that the last big collaboration project From the Coolest Corner happened already over ten years ago, and it would be interesting to see if a project like that could be repeated. Also, some of the artists I met seemed very positive about participating in our open call for 2027. 
We do have a strong connection with countries and establishments that share similar values with us and a liberal positive outlook for the future of contemporary jewellery and overall European culture - with the partners chosen, the neighbouring is more spiritual than geographical. Right now, we are the only contemporary jewellery gallery in Estonia, and the biggest in the Baltic. In the region, the closest gallery to look up to is Platina in Stockholm.
From the top of my head to bring out some other international initiatives that I have a personal connection with and I really appreciate: Norwegian Crafts and everyone they connect, Munich Jewellery Week and OBSESSED festival in Amsterdam by Current Obsession, METALLOphone biennial in Lithuania, Lisbon Jewellery Biennial, KORU triennial in Finland, The POOL Collective in the Netherlands, BUTTERMAN shop in Riga, Objects Beautiful in UK, Galerie Noel Guyomarc’h in Montreal, Galerie Beyond in Belgium, Tincal Lab in Porto…

Fideelia: Many of our artists are internationally recognized and often take part in jewellery events abroad. Some of our connections form out of their projects too.


Do you feel that the contemporary jewellery field receives support from the Estonian government or cultural institutions with subsidies or events?
Katrin: Without some form of support, we probably wouldn’t exist anymore. The Estonian Cultural Endowment has supported our exhibitions and artist talks, and we are very grateful for that. Even so, we are still walking on thin ice and would urgently need a patron. In fact, A-Galerii is one of the notable landmarks of Tallinn’s Old Town. In addition to the artists’ works, we are located in a historic building whose story has been intertwined with jewellery and precious metal craftsmanship since the very beginning. It was originally commissioned by the goldsmith Joseph Kopf. Thanks to him, we also have what is probably the world’s safest and smallest exhibition space, VAULT, which quite literally is a real metal walk-in vault.

Sille: Yes, like Katrin said, there have been different kinds of support over the years that have really helped us. For the next year, we also received a targeted grant for our exhibitions programme, awarded by the Cultural Endowment. We are very lucky that right now our government supports and values all kinds of artistic expression. I think it is crucial for a small country to be a bit extra, to stand out culturally, to show internationally artists and pieces that are unforgettable. Jewellery as a medium is great for that, as it travels well in real life and on social media.

Fideelia:  I’ve always felt I have to balance between two worlds: art and business. In a way, A-Galerii is in the same position. Capitalism and the arts pull us in opposite directions. A-Galerii presents itself to some institutions as a gallery, but to clients as a jewellery shop. I don’t think these two sides can merge seamlessly. We can maintain a balance, but it isn’t easy. I feel deeply grateful to the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and to our clients, because we wouldn’t exist without them.


Front view of A-Galerii. Photo by Andrei Chertkov.


The Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) is active in the field and regularly presents at international contemporary jewellery festivals. Do you have a partnership or ongoing relationship with? How do you approach your relationship with recent graduates who are just entering the field? Could you give some advice to early-career artists?
Sille: We do! A great school, maybe the best! The faculty always helps the gallery as well with some know-how when needed. It's been a ritual for many years now that the first-year students visit the gallery as a part of the rite to become members of the department. All of us are quite recent graduates, so we know all the teachers and so on. It’s like a big family you never leave. I received a lot from others when I was a student, so now I try to give back as much and more.
Our open calls are open to students. Every year, some of them are chosen and participate in our group exhibitions or have solo exhibitions. We welcome students (also international ones) who want to do internships with us. Recently, one of our past interns Elena Eftodi, wrote a small impressionist article about her experience with us that got published by Current Obsession. Students also have the possibility to be represented in the gallery if they wish, and the board agrees that their works are of quality.

Fideelia: EKA is the best thing that has happened to me. The amount of knowledge, experience, and connections I gained there is hard to overstate. I welcome students to A-Galerii because the art field needs to grow. In the same spirit, I believe artist talks, like the ones we organise, are important, because this is one way we shape art history.
My advice is to be consistent and hardworking. Becoming a recognised artist requires enormous willpower, self-discipline, and the courage to step outside your comfort zone. Also, ask yourself whether you’re ready to live without a steady income. If you reach a certain level in your artistic career, life may get easier. And as Sille said, most people will support you, if you are nice. Keep searching for your own voice. That doesn’t mean repeating the same style for the rest of your life. Work hard, play hard, and your distinct voice will develop through the process. You’ll recognise it when it finally emerges.

Katrin: In the past, we had a requirement that jewellery artists whose work we represent must have already graduated from the Estonian Academy of Arts. Participation in exhibitions was possible earlier, of course, but even then, one had to pass a rather selective process. In recent years, we’ve slowly started to see a generational shift, older artists are stepping back and making room for younger ones.
Competition, however, remains quite strong, since our space is limited and only a certain number of exhibitions can be held each year. 
As for advice to young artists: there’s really no clear formula for a career in art. One simply has to work incredibly hard, even if talented. It’s not a very attractive piece of advice, and in truth, it’s no guarantee of success either.
On a very personal level, I would probably recommend silence… to find within yourself that true and unique essence.


Regarding your audience: what kind of visitors or clients does A-Galerii attract? Would you say they are mainly local, international, jewellery enthusiasts, art collectors, or design-oriented audiences? Is your clientele mostly regular, occasional visitors, or neighbourhood residents? How do you maintain a regular audience?
Sille: To me, it seems right now most of them are local enthusiasts. From my side, I try to keep the exhibitions program interesting and diverse, host fun openings and welcome everyone interested with a warm and friendly attitude. Sometimes I do get annoyed when people don’t have manners or take it for granted what kind of amazing gallery we have. My friends make fun of my bad customer service poker face. The past has shown that actually these sceptical/critical people might be the biggest surprises … secret art lovers hidden behind some weird insecurities and superstitions. I love to have conversations with visitors about the making of and the concepts of the pieces. Often they also share interesting stories connected as well as their personal histories, and it reveals and reminds me of the best reasons to make, show and sell art pieces. 

Fideelia: I keep track of our customers and art lovers. Audience information comes in handy when targeting ads. When I’m working in the gallery, I try to learn as much as I can about the people who visit. Here are a few colourful examples: 
A woman from Ireland was visiting Tallinn for a conference. She told me she’d gone swimming in the Baltic Sea that morning. It was mid-October.
A middle-aged couple from Cologne had been driving around Estonia for two weeks. They spent a night in Lahemaa National Park and photographed bears. And yes, I saw the pictures. I have a soft spot for tourists who go further than Tallinn.
An elderly mother and her middle-aged daughter came into the gallery. The daughter had brought from a thrift shop an iron basket shaped like a chicken. Inside it they had pies. ‘We used to forget our pies all the time, in cafés, on the tram,’ the client said, beaming: ‘But this chicken I can actually remember.’

Katrin: The number of visitors we receive is definitely higher than the number of actual clients. This applies to both locals and foreigners. Many people come mainly to see our exhibitions. Our buyers are mostly local, I think, although there have been first-time visitors from abroad who become so enthusiastic that they leave with ten pieces at once. There are also returning international visitors who tell us that whenever they come to Estonia, they always make sure to visit us as well. 
We also recognise our most dedicated customers with the title of Gold Client, which comes with its own special benefits.


Portal by Kadi Veesaar at A-Galerii Windows. ​Photo by Valdek Laur.


A-Galerii celebrates its 31 years of activity. How do you perceive the evolution of contemporary jewellery during this time? And where do you think the field is heading?
Sille: I perceive the evolution as an unstoppable, attractive force, full of life and joy, constantly evolving and mutating. I love to see that contemporary jewelry and blacksmithing have more and more to talk about with fields like installation, video, photo, performance arts and so on. 

Fideelia: I see how jewellery has evolved towards conceptual art. I have seen a lot in the A-Galerii’s exhibitions. Sometimes the jewellery is so powerful and independent that it feels unnecessary to call it a brooch and pretend it is something wearable. I think it is totally acceptable to let it be a sculpture or an installation, an artwork we can admire.

​Katrin: I’m not sure there have been any major differences in how the field itself has evolved. There have always been those who seek new approaches and experiment with different materials to create something unprecedented, and those who stay true to more traditional techniques. Both complement each other.
Perhaps the biggest change among Estonian artists is that younger generations are more confident about showing themselves and engaging with the public. But that, I think, reflects the spirit of the times more than a specific shift within the field. 
More than before, we’re also seeing a rise in the adornment of less traditional parts of the body, such as tooth grills, large facial pieces, nose jewellery, and ear cuffs. What used to be mostly the courage of students has now slowly started to make its way into the gallery as well, which is wonderfully exciting.


What would be the ideal scenario for your gallery to operate at its best?
Sille: Hehe, the feet on the ground version of me would dream that it would be nice if we could afford some profound renovations for the exhibition spaces and a few more staff members. But if we are talking about ideal scenarios, then all our collaborations would be with easy-going artists who are super talented and deliver on deadlines. Also, I would come up with an invention that would compress all textual info about our jewelry and instantly present it inside of a visitor's head in a pleasant way, so we wouldn’t have to worry about making little tags, signs and printing wall texts, etc.

Fideelia: More staff would help, because the workload is unreal for three people who aren’t full-time. Brighter lighting is crucial, even beautiful jewellery can look grey and a bit sad when in shadow. For customers, we would also like to build a new website and online shop, including an AI-powered try-on feature so people can see how the jewellery looks on them.

​​Katrin: Ideally, the gallery could one day become a proper jewellery department store and exhibition room. A place that brings together high-quality traditional pieces, experimental works, and perhaps even something playful for visitors to try on and experience. It could also include a specialised library or bookstore dedicated to the field and educate visitors, or to serve as a meeting place.
There should be enough staff to ensure that everything gets done efficiently. Artists should be able to focus solely on their creative work, without having to spend their time and resources on photography or self-promotion.
The cellars of A-Galerii would be filled with precious metals and gemstones that our artists could purchase at better prices than anywhere else in the world. Once a year, we would reward the best artist with a kilo of gold and silver.
And once a year, the gallery staff would each receive a piece of jewellery as a gift from their favourite artist.
Since parking in the Old Town of Tallinn is always a challenge, we would, of course, need special teleportation booths for our customers and visitors. It could also work as a postal service.


What are the next highlights planned or upcoming exhibitions for A-Galerii?
Fideelia: I’m still recovering from a hectic November and December and catching up on the highlights as they come. I really hope the best is still ahead for A-Galerii. I’m happy we have such a friendly community of artists who welcomed me even when I was completely new to jewellery.

​​Katrin: Sille is the right person to answer that. As of now, all our exhibitions are scheduled through 2026, and the open call for 2027 is expected to be announced in the spring. Personally, I’m preparing for the annual spring exhibition, which has already become something of a tradition for me. It's my yearly effort to stay tuned and hands-on in the actual work I’ve studied. Fingers crossed.

Sille: 
Here is our program for next year:
In the Vault
30.01. – 28.02.2026 Liisa‑Chrislin Saleh & Ivor Mikker
06.03. – 28.03.2026 Nils Hint
02.04. – 25.04.2026 Kati Erme
30.04. – 30.05.2026 Anne Roolaht & Remigija Vaitkute (Lit)
05.06. – 27.06.2026 Eilve Manglus
03.07. – 26.07.2026 Henry Mardisalu
31.07. – 29.08.2026 Mirjam Aun
04.09. – 26.09.2026 Tarvo Porroson
02.10. – 31.10.2026 Maria Izabella Lehtsaar
06.11. – 28.11.2026 Caius Kull
04.12. – 17.01.2027 Annual Exhibition 2026

In the Windows
23.01. – 15.03.2026 Keiu Koppel // Michael Schoorl (NLD)
20.03. – 31.05.2026 Maia Hellman (SWE) // Anne Reinberg
13.06. – 31.08.2026 Reet Salonen // Elis Liivo
04.09. – 30.11.2026 Christoph von Rohden (GER) //  Štěpán Hála (CZE)

Next year is special as quite many contemporary blacksmiths will show their work. I am looking forward to the solo of Nils Hint - associate professor at the Estonian Academy of Arts, as well as the younger metal artists Michael Schoorl, Tarvo Porroson, Christoph von Rohden and Štěpán Hála. 
On top of that programme, we will have 2 more exhibitions. Firstly, a surprise exhibition that I will curate in the spring/ beginning of summer, the one Katrin mentioned she is planning to participate in. Secondly, we are currently working out a way how the gallery could feature and give out a prize to a promising metal art student. So in the autumn we will probably have an exhibition from this wonderful young person. 
I am very confident and happy about the programme and I can’t wait for all of it to roll out!




Why Perspectives from Gallerists?
In the realm of artistic creation within art jewellery and contemporary crafts, Klimt02 aims to serve as a hub for promotion, discussion, and—most importantly—connection, highlighting the interconnectedness among all key players. Beyond showcasing work, we strive to amplify the voices committed to building this discipline as a recognised market within the art scene. That’s why gallerists’ perspectives matter: their day-to-day experience offers an essential, informed view of how the market actually works, its realities, and what the field needs to grow with integrity.