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WEBPOLE, March 2025 Workshop Week
Estonian Academy of Arts, 1st Years EKAGD    Supervision: Mikk Jõgi

Simon Janson
Ryan Kaabel
Anni Kangur
Riste Sofie Käär
Jan-Markus Maasepp
Alina Maškina
Elisabeth Mägi
Berit Raun
Eva Ševtšenko
Mattias Erik Tiik
Rasmus Tikerpe
Katariina Tõnismäe
Mark Albert Villand
When Constant Niewenhuys started working on New Babylon in 1959, he most likely didnt know that 66 years later, a group of young design students in Estonia would be taking his advice and become Homo Ludens for a week.

The situationists believed that the shift from individual expression through directly lived experiences, or the first-hand fulfillment of authentic desires, to individual expression by proxy through the exchange or consumption of commodities, or passive second-hand alienation, inflicted significant and far-reaching damage to the quality of human life for both individuals and society. Another important concept of situationist theory was the primary means of counteracting the spectacle; the construction of situations, moments of life deliberately constructed for the purpose of reawakening and pursuing authentic desires, experiencing the feeling of life and adventure, and the liberation of everyday life.

13 graphic design students were asked to wander their immediate surroundings and investigate some of their true, authentic impulses in relation to it. They translated the findings into a significant, surreal, living and real part of the world wide web, counterbalancing and repurposing the tools of a domain largely dominated and controlled by what Constant imagined to be left on the ground level so that we could play above it.


Big thanks to the Graphic Design Department of EKA, Ott Kagovere, Ott Metusala, Kert Viiart, Celine Hurka & all the students.

Top Cap

Ryan Kaabel

1953. aasta jõulud Pajusaarte peres. Pererahva veri veel vemmeldab peojärele Stalini surma aastal. Ma mäletan kui mu isa tõi jõuluhommikul turult hane, ja viis ta vannituppa. “Poja,” rajatas vanamees, “tule hoia hane kinni, ma toon kuurist kirve!”...

Anni

(Mind jälgitakse. Keegi valvab mind, kui ma magan. Ma kardan üksi pimedas uinuda, seega vajan kindlust, et keegi teine on veel üleval. Tema vaatab aknast sisse, ei lase halba ligi, ta vaatab rahuliku pilguga mind ning ma tean, et isegi kui mina olen hajevil, siis tema ei lase kedagi endast mööda, mind häirima.) Me ei pane neid alati tähele, aga nad on alati siin olnud ja hoiavad meil silma peal. Tasakesi ja liikumatult. Nad võivad olla ükskõik mis vormis, ükskõik kus. Nad on Valvurid ja nad on head. Vaata ringi, ka sinul on oma Valvur.

Eva

Walking West  As the person behind the camera walks westward, the viewer is encouraged to follow along and take notes on anything important. Visible faces, establishments, and moments when the traveler goes off track will be available, while time and location remain shown no matter the situation.

Riste

16.09.2024. Leitud Tartu maakonnast Kurepalu-Roiu kandist sularaha. Omanik peab teadma, millise summa kaotas, millistes kupüürides ja kaotamise kohta. 11.01.2017. Juuksed: juuste värv heledad. Juuksed: juuste pikkus lühike. Pikkus: 188. Vanus: 37. 25.03.2025. Väga soovin tutvuda ausa naisega ainuabielu eesmärgil. Ise olen teenindaja kaupluses Tallinnas. Mina ei joo alkoholi ega suitseta üldse. Mulle meeldib sörkjooks. 18.10.2024. Laste tõukeratas GLOBBER. 16.09.2024. Found cash in Kurepalu-Roiu area, Tartu County. The owner must know the amount lost, the bills, and the place.11.01.2017. Hair: hair color light. Hair: hair length short. Height: 188 cm. Age: 37. 25.03.2025. I am very interested in meeting an honest woman for a monogamous marriage. I work as a shop assistant in Tallinn. I do not drink alcohol or smoke at all. I enjoy jogging.18.10.2024. Children’s scooter GLOBBER.

Mattias

Toorest ilu on meie eludes palju rohkem, kui me seda arvame. Tiigi tänaval võid leida mõningaid, mida panin see nädal tähele.

Elisabeth

As I walked through the city, two things stood out to me the most: objects that seemed to camouflage or imitate other forms, and color combinations/ lack of color. In my website, I explored these ideas and how a simple walk in my hometown can inspire a new creative concept in the digital world. Monday was the first time that code and I met, but we got along very well from the beginning. I felt like a witch who has found a new spell that I want to study and master.

Jan-Markus Maasepp

Tore tänav, palju toredaid kohti, kuid kole vaatepilt. Kõik prügikastid jooksid minema.

Berit

We lurk in parking lots and back alleys, parks and underpasses. We face the cold, and the wind. But we put in the time, We keep up the grind, And we get the job done. Not many appreciate what we do. Why stand in the cold? Why stand in the wind? We don't know ourselves. But we do know this, This is what we were made to do. Some days are tougher than others. We take slams, we get smashed up, But we don't walk away. We stand fast. We see things through. The unsung soldiers of the streets. When you return to the warmth of your homes, We'll still be here. We don't mind though, Because, at the end of the day, We're just handrails. (Method Mag, issue 23.2, p. 38) It ain’t easy being a handrail. And it sure ain’t easy being a snowboarder in Tallinn, trying to find good spots to hit. For a while, me and my friends relied on an eight-page document filled with Street View links to spots we had noticed around town. It helped us plan sessions, but in reality, it was never an effective way to do it. That’s why I decided to create a map of Tallinn’s street spots—something visual, interactive, and actually useful. Each spot on the map has a small picture, and clicking on it takes you to a page with the address, google maps link and details—whether someone has already hit it, how they did it, and any other useful notes. It’s still a work in progress, and it always will be. After all, the city never stays the same—rails get torn out, ledges get capped, and sometimes the best spots disappear before we even get a chance to hit them. My wish for it is to one day be a truly functional and practical tool for our community.

Katariina

the ugly tired streets of the city, everything is dirty, the ground, the walls, the ceiling. The sun brings a stray of light into this tired world and creates something beautiful - reflection. Tiles on the wall start to change shape and color, people passing by dictating the color of the tiles without their knowledge. It is subtle enough that not just anyone who passes the wall will see it. you have to be patient and wait, and the tiles will show you a more colorful and cleaner version of the world- of yourself. This website shows the wall but in a virtual city, imitating the reflection of the tiles. it has no purpose. You can spend hours, minutes, seconds on the page, just play around with the colorful pixels and interact with another version of yourself.

Rasmus

Observing the ongoing battle between the graffiti writers and “buffers”. Who are buffers, you might ask? Buff — To remove painted graffiti with chemicals and other instruments, or to paint over it with a flat color. You’d think buffers would be superior considering they’re usually assigned by the city council and operate legally. Is it really the case? As it seems, most of the buffs seem as ugly, if not uglier, than the tags and various throw-ups they aim to eliminate. Is removing a tag from a wall by painting it over with a color-mismatched rectangular box ignorance or just laziness?

Alina

Street art is breaking down barriers between "high art" and everyday people. Allows marginalized voices to be heard. This kind of street art reflects real, unpolished emotions, local struggles, and spontaneous creativity. It’s not about perfection. It’s about expression. It invites interaction. This web is little corner of the internet where the streets speak. If you feel like adding your own mark, the walls are open.