Awards

2021
3x3 International Illustration Awards (USA), Honorable Mention (Roman Lullaby)

2020
5 Best Designed Estonian Books, Certificate of Merit (The Northern Lights)
Cheltenham Illustration Awards (UK), chosen into the year book "Messenger"

2019
The Knee-High Book Competition, 1st place (Linn)

2017
Prize at the Supergraphics Contest organized by the city of Tallinn

2014
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Newcomer’s Prize of the Estonian Graphic Designers’ Association (The Drawer of Happy Bedtime Stories)

To the animated film “In the Air”:

2010
Animateka, Special Mention, Ljubljana
Forum for International Animation (FIA), Best Animation, Stockholm
Melbourne International Animated Film Festival, Best of the Fest, Melbourne

2009
Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Best Animated Film of the Year, Tallinn

Exhibitions

2024
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Capturing Wonder with Pictures", Kärdla Culture Centre
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books V", National Academic Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan

2022
Tallinn Illustration Triennial TIT 2020, Centrum Kultury Dworek Białoprądnicki , Poland
Exhibition of Baltic illustrators "Running with Wolves. Werewolf", Italy and Latvia
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books", Viimsi Library

2021
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Running With Wolves. Werewolf", Napoli, Rome, Frigento, Italy
Tallinn Illustration Triennial TIT 2020, Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Russia
TIT 2020 & "Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books", Mytishchi, Russia
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Tapa Public Library

2020
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
International illustrations exhibition "It's Always Tea-Time", Vyborg, St. Petersburg, Russia; Kondas Centre, Viljandi, Estonia
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Once Upon a Time..." (Grimm's fairy tales), Tapa Public Library; Gallery Deák17, Budapest, Hungary
Midsummer spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Children's Literature Centre
"Picture World of Tales and Fairy Tales", Central Library of Lääne County

2019
Solo exhibition “Creation”, Pirita Leisure Center
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB), Slovakia
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators “Leafing Through Estonian Children’s Books II”, Moscow, Kolomna, Russia
International illustrations exhibition "It's Always Tea-Time", Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Mytishchi, Russia
"Stories of werewolf through the eyes of Estonian illustrators", Pskov, St. Petersburg, Russia

2018–2020
Exhibition of Baltic illustrators “Running with Wolves”, London, the United Kingdom; Estonian Children’s Literature Centre (“Wolf Run”), Tallinn; Gdańsk, Wrocław, Białystok, Warsaw, Płock, Szczecin, Poland; Pordenone, Italy; Vilnius, Lithuania

2018–2019
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators “Running with Wolves”, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn; selected works, Pskov, St. Petersburg, Russia

2017
Solo exhibition “Creation”, Nordea Concert Hall, Pärnu Concert Hall, Jõhvi Concert Hall, the Small Building of Vanemuine Theatre
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators “Leafing Through Estonian Children’s Books I”, Moscow, Kolomna, Russia

2016
„Zoografia”, Libriamoci festival of the illustrated book, Galleria Antichi Forni, Macerata, Italy
New York School of Visual Arts Philanthropy Poster Project,  Stavros Niarchos Foundation Philanthropy Conference, Thessaloniki, Greece
Solo exhibition „Scenes from the Picture Theatre”, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn
Solo exhibition “Niru, Vääks and Friends”, Tallinn, Tartu, Viljandi, Kuressaare, Loo, Estonia
Spring Exhibition of Estonian Illustrators, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn
Travelling exhibition of Estonian illustrators, “A Walk on the Path of Fairy Tale Together with Charles Perrault”, Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Mytishchi, Russia

2015–2020
International illustration exhibition, “It’s Always Tea-Time”, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn; Riga, Latvia; Uusikaupunki, Finland; Gdansk, Wrocław, Toruń, Elbląg, Poland; Berlin, Germany; Szczecin, Płock, Poland; Budapest, Hungary; Oxford, the United Kingdom; Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Mytishchi, Vyborg, St. Petesburg, Russia

2015–2019
Exhibition of Estonian Illustrators, “Once Upon a Time...” (Grimm’s Fairy Tales), Aosta, Anagni, Lagonegro, Bernalda-Metaponto, Corato, Matera, Roma, Lacco Ameno, Irsina, Siracusa, Sassari, Roma, Bologna, Italy; Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn; Minsk, Belarus; Kraków, Łomża, Białystok, Szczecin, Płock, Warszaw, Elbląg, Gdańsk, Opole, Poland

2015
Poster exhibition, “Be My Queen”, Fabriano, Italy
The final SVA Summer Residency in Illustration exhibition, School of Visual Arts, Flatiron Gallery, New York, USA
Solo exhibition, “Maailma loomine” (The Creation), Saaremaa, Estonia

2014
Group exhibition, “Una corona di piume” (A Crown of Feathers), Rome, Italy
Poster exhibition, “Magic City Boom”, Sforzacosta, Italy

2013–2014
Group exhibition, “The Visions of Mother Goose. Tribute to Charles Perrault”, Tallinn, Estonia

2013
Open air exhibition, “Colorata Camposano 2014”, Italy

About the author

2020
Story time with Gerda Märtens (video)

2017
Davide Calì’s interview with Gerda Märtens (Italian)

2016
Gerda Märtens’s Solo Exhibition “Scenes from the Stage of Pictures”'

2014
Young Estonian Illustrators

Contact info

• gerda.mrtens[at]gmail.com
• Facebook
• +372 5615 1687
• gerdamartens.com