Sandra Jõgeva
SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE
2.2.–24.2.2026
Gallery Metropol 6 m² and Metropol Kapp (Vana-Kalamaja 46, Tallinn)
The artist will be present at the gallery on Sat 7.2, Sat 14.2 and Sat 21.2, 12:00–20:00; at other times the exhibition is open by prior arrangement.
Gallery Metropol hosts an artist, filmmaker, writer and critic who keeps a sharp magnifying glass trained on the case history of Estonian art life, and who — sparing herself nothing — always marches into the next battle in the name of justice and art.
Sandra explains: “This exhibition mixes art with private life, and the political with the personal and the performative. A significant part of the exhibition is made up of the video installation “My Struggle”, based on my email exchange in the summer of 2025 with the leadership of the Estonian Artists’ Association, with the aim of making the application process for galleries run by the Estonian Artists’ Association more democratic, more transparent and faster for artists.
This email exchange is part of my longer “struggle” — probably without the quotation marks, really — for improving artists’ position. For more than ten years now I have consistently informed the public about the shortcomings, and about the injustice and at times questionable corruption prevailing in the Estonian art world, through my interviews, opinion pieces and social media posts, which as a rule have sparked long and in-depth discussions. I don’t think this struggle of mine has gotten me anywhere. Which brings me to the exhibition’s second important counterpoint: Napoleon, as a figure who failed in his own battles, and as a metaphor.
I have wanted to use readymade objects in this exhibition, but not cheap junk — antique items instead. This exhibition is made up of objects sourced from a well-known antique shop with a military focus, as well as from the Kalamaja Bakery, a wine shop, a flower shop, and from my own personal wallet. The works are titled: “Loser”, “Are You a Cake or a Person?”, “To Marin”, “1812” and “Defence Expenses”.”
Poster design: Henrik Jõgeva
Supported by: Malle Leis Estate, law firm NJORD and its partner Liisi Jürgen
Gallery Metropol is located at the sea end of Vana-Kalamaja Street.
To visit the exhibition, please contact the artist or the gallery directly at least a day in advance and we will agree on an exact time. On arrival, please ring the doorbell.
Additional information: Sandra Jõgeva, +372 5543961, sandrajogeva@gmail.com
Gallery contacts:
Kaarel Kütas, phone 5217649, kaarel.kytas@gmail.com or Triinu Jürves, triyrves@gmail.com
FB: Metropol galerii; IG: metropolkapp
Metropol on the NOBA art map: noba.ac/et/galerii/galerii-metropol-6m2-metropol-kapp/
