„Wouldn’t You Happen to Know Mark Here in Valga? A Story from Bordertown“ by Danel Ülperi & Hedi Kuhi

On Thursday, October 23 at 18.00 the exhibition „Wouldn’t You Happen to Know Mark Here in Valga? A Story from Bordertown“ by Danel Ülper & Hedi Kuhi will open at Hobusepea gallery. The exhibition will remain open until November 16, 2025. 

“I don’t think I’ll be voting in this election. Nevertheless, the town is abounding in pretty faces,” said an older lady, standing with a group waiting for the bus. Though others didn’t express their views as firmly, their attitude toward those pleasing-to-the-eye faces seemed similar. And there were plenty of those faces. They lurked on either side of the bus station, by Maxima and other shops, and even on the windows and walls of completely abandoned houses on Vabaduse Street.

On one of the walls, a thick crack ran from the ground to the edge of the roof, and it seemed that once the faces disappeared after the election, nothing would hold the building together anymore. One particularly large, important, and handsome face was plastered on the wall of a former service building. With its multi-story height, the face towered over the town like a giant. The titan’s less significant party members had found residence on the wall of the former ‘Saluut’ cinema, displayed in several rows. And in every direction, even in the most unexpected places, countless ravishing faces could still be seen.
In a town where even the bus stop billboards are usually empty, such a beauty contest is undoubtedly an exciting spectacle—and one would be a fool to doubt its impact on the sustainability of democracy.

Despite the fact that, during the pre-election period, the faces try to capture the essence of the community's collective dreams and promise the best possible future, dreams and the future follow their own path—one that has nothing to do with pretty faces. Dreams are intimate and secretive, and in places where there is something to remember, their relationship with memories becomes especially significant.

The bordertown sits on the edge of memories and dreams. It is a delicate and fragile place to be—a possibility without guarantees, a journey without the certainty of arrival. And even if one knows where they are headed, the destination is kept secret in the depths of the heart, not spoken aloud.

This exhibition is a fragment of a bordertown’s story, told by Danel Ülper and Hedi Kuhi through paintings, memories, dreams, and artifacts. It is a story with no clear beginning or end—one of which we are given only a snippet, like a brief human life in the endless flow of time.

Danel Ülper (b. 1998) graduated from Pallas University of Applied Sciences and has primarily exhibited paintings. His work draws inspiration from Belle Époque-era art, everyday moments, and captivating, seemingly timeless places. He currently lives and works in Valga, where he continues to capture the arcane essence of the borderland. Since 2025, he has been a member of the Tartu Artists’ Union.

Hedi Kuhi (b. 1998) is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in painting at Pallas University of Applied Sciences. Before enrolling at Pallas, she graduated from Tartu Art School with a specialization in decoration.

In 2023, Kuhi received the Pallas Painting Scholarship, which led to her solo exhibition Here Again at Tartu Art House. In 2024, she participated in the duo exhibition Pallas Girls at Tallinn Kunstiruum Gallery alongside Mari Frühling. That same year, she also took part in the duo exhibition Valga. Memories and Dreams at the Valga Cultural Centre with Danel Ülper.

Kuhi’s artistic practice centers on everyday life, depictions of her hometown, and the interplay between wildness and order. She is drawn to the traces of time and decay found in nature, the urban environment, and in people themselves. In her paintings, figures, natural motifs, and cityscapes intertwine to explore the relationship between humans and their surroundings.
She primarily works with acrylic and oil paints, but also engages in drawing and printmaking. Kuhi is currently focused on completing her graduation project at Pallas.

Exhibitions in Hobusepea gallery are supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, the Estonian Ministry of Culture, and Liviko AS.

Additional information:
Hobusepea Gallery
Tel: +372 56 451 591
      +372 52 85 324
      +372 6 276 777
E-mail: galerii@eaa.ee
Hobusepea 2, Tallinn 10133
hobusepeadraakon.ee
Wed‒Sun 12.00‒18.00