Eight years ago, Maria Kapajeva came across a few old photographs online for sale. ”This was quite a random purchase for me. An American dealer who runs an online shop selling old images from all over the world agreed to put together ‘a collection’ of photographs, which he thought might be from Estonia. So, this is how this 105-piece collection of “loose photos, odds and ends” (according to the collector’s description) ended up in my hands. In his message he added ‘I am so glad these photos are ”going home”, so to speak’. I had no knowledge of the images or how they ended up in the US. At the end of 2021, when I started to prepare for this exhibition, I tried to contact the collector again, but I learned that he had unexpectedly died a week before. It was sad to realize that I had had those eight years to ask him questions, but I had not and now I could not. So, I hope with the help of visitors to the exhibition, I can get answers to some of my questions.”
The exhibition was commissioned by Estonian Art Museum Kumu for a project space at the permanent exhibition Landscapes of Identity: Estonian Art 1700-1945, curated by Linda Kaljundi and Kadi Polli. The artist was very interested to bring this exhibition to Võrumaa because many photographs are from the region. Thus, she hopes that the visitors might feel the joy of recognition when they find people connected to Võru County among the researched subjects. Through a single familiar photo other loose photos make them feel at home.
Maria Kapajeva (1976) is an interdisciplinary artist whose main focus is on women’s position in contemporary society. Her practice is often research based and the main inspiration for her artistic work are the people and their personal narratives. She has graduated from the University of Westminster (Ma, 2013) and since 2021 is the doctoral candidate at Estonian Academy of Arts. She has been nominated several times and received numerous awards, including second place at the FOKUS Video Art Festival (2018). Her works have been exhibited in residencies in London, Kaunas and Teheran. Kapajeva’s works belong to the collections of Kiasma and Fotomuseum Winterthur.
The exhibition will be open until 7 May 2023.
Exhibition designer: Karolin Kull
Exhibition design concept: Laura Linsi / LLRRLLRR
Exhibition coordinator: Mari Škerin
Exhibition technician: Indrek Kits, Lauri Kütt
Concept of the exhibition graphic design: Maria Muuk
Exhibition poster: Henri Kutsar
Artist’s research assistant: Ketlin Käpp
With contribution in kind by Linda Kaljundi, Annika Toots, Karmen-Eliise Kiidron, Mirja Ots
Special thanks to Linda Kaljundi, Kadi Polli, Liisa Kaljula, Merilis Roosalu (Tallinn City Museum – Museum of Photography), Aado Luik, Janeli Suits, Piret Karro, Lembi Anepaio, Tiia Haug, Siim Asmer, Aljona Kapajeva, the Sokk family, Jaan Joonas, Mari Jänes, Tiina and Kristiina Aarna, Urmas Kalla
The exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
Additional information:
Mari Škerin / gallerist
mariskerin@gmail.com
+372 53449447
https://facebook.com/vanavoromaakultuurikoda/
https://instagram.com/vanavoromaakultuurikoda/
Vana-Võromaa Museum and Art Gallery
Katariina allee 11, Võru, 65608
K-P 10am – 6pm
