A Shade Colder
| Editor | Kaarin Kivirähk (Editor-in-Chief) Keiu Krikmann (Managing Editor) |
|---|---|
| Categories | Contemporary art, Visual culture |
| Frequency | Monthly (digital), Semi-annual (print) |
| Publisher | Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) |
| Language | English |
| Website | www |
A Shade Colder is a contemporary art magazine and digital platform based in Tallinn, Estonia. Published by the Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), it focuses on shared stories about visual culture in Central and Eastern Europe.[1] The publication is internationally-focused and primarily written in English.[2][3]
History
[edit]The magazine was established to fill a strategic gap in the international representation of Estonian art journalism. It features artist interviews, analytical essays, fiction and reviews.[2][4] The publication's ongoing contributions to the local art landscape have been regularly featured.[5][6]
The magazine provides an English-language platform for Estonian artists, curators and writers to reach a global audience. It covers a broad spectrum of creative disciplines, including fine arts, architecture, performance and design. It typically releases one or two themed print issues per year. Digital copies are freely accessible online.[7]
The leadership and creative team of the magazine includes Editor-in-Chief Kaarin Kivirähk, Managing Editor Keiu Krikmann, and an editorial board consisting of Marika Agu, Maria Arusoo and Sten Ojavee, with graphic design managed by the studio Jojo&me, which comprises Johanna Ruukholm and Martina Gofman.[7]
Content
[edit]Each issue of A Shade Colder is curated around a specific conceptual theme, such as "Practices in Dialogue" or "Uncertain Territories."[8] The magazine frequently features interviews with artists and essays on feminist art history and the impact of digital media on society.[9][10][11][12][13][14]
Selected issues
[edit]| Issue Theme | Publication Date | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Practices in Dialogue | October 2025 | [15] |
| Uncertain Territories | April 2025 | [16] |
| The Many Faces of You | April 2024 | [17] |
| The Shapes of Language | November 2023 | [18] |
| Flesh in Tension | July 2023 | [19] |
| Shifting Timelines | April 2023 | [20] |
Podcast
[edit]The magazine also publishes the Majickk Sound podcast. It is a contemporary art podcast hosted by curator Marika Agu. It is produced by the Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) and is an extension of the magazine. The series features interviews with artists and composers. Each episode typically focuses on one artist, discussing their technical methodology and the philosophical underpinnings of their work. The series has featured figures in the Northern European sound art scene, such as John Grzinich, an American-Estonian artist and associate professor at the Estonian Academy of Arts. The episode discusses acoustic ecology, field recording and Grzinich's work with environmental sounds in locations like the mining regions of Ida-Virumaa. Agu also interviewed Dodomundo, a Vilnius-based DJ and artist. The conversation explores the physical and psychological effects of sound in club environments and the role of art galleries as social spaces.[21]
In the news
[edit]Fair pay
[edit]In the early 2020s, the Estonian contemporary art scene experienced significant mobilization regarding fair remuneration for artists and freelance cultural workers. A tiered framework was introduced for recommended fee rates that linked compensation directly to estimated workloads using the national minimum wage and the cultural worker's minimum wage as baseline metrics. As a contemporary art magazine managed by the Center for Contemporary Arts Estonia, A Shade Colder committed that its contributor remuneration structure would adhere fully to the recommended fair pay model.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Tüpokompanii (26 March 2026). "A Shade Colder". Fonts In Use. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
A Shade Colder is a platform for discussions about and around art in Estonia and beyond, published by the Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), designed by Jojo&me Studio (Johanna Ruukholm & Martina Gofman), featuring Aktsidents (WIP), Adieu, and Quadrant Slab Duo for texts; and Slack in the logo.
- ^ a b Viilup, Kaspar (2022-03-13). "Aprillis näeb ilmavalgust eestlaste loodud uus ingliskeelne kunstiajakiri". Eesti Rahvusringhääling (in Estonian). Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- ^ Miss Read. "A Shade Colder/Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art – Miss Read". missread.com. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
A Shade Colder magazine is published by the Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), the oldest non-profit art institution in Estonia. Alongside its other activities, the CCA has always sustained a publishing practice. A Shade Colder is the newest and most extensive publishing project by the CCA, functioning as a platform for discussions about and around art in Estonia and the wider region of North-East Europe. A Shade Colder is very much engaging with the changing landscape of art in (East) Europe and aims to be a useful tool for working within and introducing the eastern parts of Europe internationally. At the fair, the magazine will be presented together with other publications by the CCA.
- ^ "Ülevaade. Kunst sõja-aastal 2022". Eesti Rahvusringhääling (in Estonian). 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- ^ Tsapov, Aleksander (25 April 2022). "Galerii: Eesti paviljoni avamine 59. Veneetsia biennaalil" [Gallery: Opening of the Estonian pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale]. Müürileht (in Estonian). Retrieved 27 May 2026.
Samuti toimus biennaali raames uue Eesti kunstile keskenduva inglisekeelse kunstiajakirja "A Shade Colder" rahvusvaheline esitlus. "A Shade Colder" ilmub kord aastas paberil, kuid muul ajal toimub ajakirja elu veebiküljel.
[The international presentation of the new English-language art magazine focused on Estonian art, "A Shade Colder", also took place within the framework of the biennale. "A Shade Colder" appears on paper once a year, but at other times, the life of the magazine takes place on the website.] - ^ Watson, Steve (June 2024). "A Shade Colder 7". STACK magazines. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ^ a b c Ektermann, Maarin; Triisberg, Airi (28 April 2023). "Õiglase tasustamise ettepanek kunstiväljale. Aasta hiljem" [Proposal for fair remuneration in the art field: One year later]. Sirp (in Estonian).
Kaasaegse Kunsti Eesti Keskus andis teada, et vastloodud ajakirja A Shade Colder autorite tasustamine lähtub ettepanekus esitatud soovitustest...
[The Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art announced that the remuneration of authors of the newly established magazine A Shade Colder will be based on the recommendations presented in the proposal.] - ^ "A Shade Colder magazine Spring 2025 issue out now". Kaasaege Kunsti Eesti Keskus. Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ^ Ektermann, Maarin; Triisberg, Airi (2023-04-28). "Õiglase tasustamise ettepanek kunstiväljale. Aasta hiljem". Sirp (in Estonian). Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- ^ Krikmann, Keiu; Kivirähk, Kaarin (9 May 2025). "A Shade Colder magazine Spring 2025 issue out now". Kaasaege Kunsti Eesti Keskus. Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ^ "A Shade Colder magazine launched its third print issue". Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art. 30 April 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ^ EAA (5 May 2026). "A Shade Colder Spring 2026 issue". Retrieved 27 May 2026.
Becoming, the spring 2026 issue of A Shade Colder is dedicated to transformations and new beginnings that emerge through major shifts, either personal, cultural or social.
- ^ CCA (30 November 2023). "A Shade Colder new issue and publication launch in Tallinn". cca.ee. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ^ "A Shade Colder – New Issue Out Now". Estonian Academy of Arts. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
The magazine's editors include Kaarin Kivirähk as the editor-in-chief and Keiu Krikmann as the managing editor of the magazine. The rest of the CCA's team, Marika Agu, Maria Arusoo and Sten Ojavee serve as the editorial board. The graphic design is created by Jojo&me (Johanna Ruukholm and Martina Gofman). For the most part, A Shade Colder is published online, accompanied by one or two print issues per year. Each issue is published under a specific theme and publishing schedule follows the seasonal logic of the Estonian and international art calendar.
- ^ "Practices in Dialogue". A Shade Colder. October 2025.
- ^ "Uncertain Territories". A Shade Colder. April 2025.
- ^ "The Many Faces of You". A Shade Colder. April 2024.
- ^ "The Shapes of Language". A Shade Colder. November 2023.
- ^ "Flesh in Tension". A Shade Colder. July 2023.
- ^ "Shifting Timelines". A Shade Colder. April 2023.
- ^ "A Shade Colder — Issue 7, The Many Faces of You". Room for Reading. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
The seventh issue of A Shade Colder takes a closer look at our many faces, around and within. ... The contributors to this issue include Cecilia Alemani, Johanna Hedva, Lilian Hiob, Lucy Ivanova, Kaarin Kivirähk, Triin Reidla, Anti Saar, Mētra Saberova, Pire Sova, Elnara Taidre.