Esther is here!
Olga Temnikova (Temnikova & Kasela Gallery, Tallinn) together with Margot Samel (Margot Samel Gallery, New York) are presenting Esther, alternative model for gallery collaboration beyond the traditional art fair, taking place in New York on May 1–4.
Taking place in the historical Estonian House in New York, Esther brings together the art projects of twenty-six international galleries including New York galleries Andrew Kreps, Laurel Gitlen and Kate Werble, Gathering and Seventeen from London, the Green Gallery from Milwaukee, Shanghai-based Bank gallery and more The historical entrance of the Estonian House, meeting rooms with wooden furnishings, halls and club rooms are for four days dedicated to artworks, site-specific installations and events, which everyone can visit and explore for free.
One of the rooms of Estonian House, which will host the new satellite art fair Esther. Courtesy Esther
Esther, which brings different galleries together in a common environment, offers an alternative to the usual ways of showing and experiencing art and thereby challenges the traditional art fair model. Inspired by the collaborative experiments of other galleries, such as Basel Social Club and Condo, Samel and Temnikova wanted to create a similar alternative experience in New York. Estonian House in New York, which four-story Beaux-Arts style building was designed by Brooklyn architect Thomas A. Gray in 1899, turned out to be an ideal cooperation partner for gallerists. In 1943, the Estonian Society acquired a building originally planned as a working-class civic club in downtown Manhattan, and it became an important gathering place for the Estonian community in New York, especially after the influx of Estonian refugees after World War II. Exhibitors were encouraged to submit projects that relate to the unique architecture and history of the building for application to the fair.
From Estonia, the Temnikova & Kasela gallery will participate in the fair with the works by Jaanus Samma and Nina Vynnyk; Margot Samel gallery represents Kris Lemsalu and Bertha Leonard, and Kogo gallery from Tartu will be at the fair with the works by Anna Mari Liivrand and Laura Põld. From Latvia they will join Kim? art center who will represent newest works of Indriķis Ģelzis.
Indriķis Ģelzis, “Time Camouflage: The Eyelash Fortress (L)”, “Time Camouflage: The Eyelash Fortress (R)”, 2024, stainless steel, 42,5×28,5×3 cm. Photo: Ansis Starks 
Esther joins a full slate of fairs spread across the first two weeks of May, with about half timed to coincide with Frieze New York (1-5 May) and the rest aligned with The European Art Fair (Tefaf) New York (10-14 May). Among the other fairs coinciding with Esther and Frieze will be Future Fair (2-4 May) and Nada New York (2-5 May).
New York Estonian House is located at 243 East 34th Street. On May 1 publishing house Lugemik will present two books at Esther: there will be presentations of Jaanus Samma's new book "Flow of Patterns. Works of Jaanus Samma" and Paul Kuimet's book "Crystal Grid." Jaanus Samma will have a talk with Carlos Motta.
