A gentleman was walking through an elephant camp, as he spotted that the elephants weren’t being kept in cages or held by chains. All that was holding them back from escaping the camp, was a small piece of rope tied to one of their legs.
As the man gazed upon the elephants, he was completely confused as to why the elephants didn’t just use their strength to break the rope and escape the camp. They could easily have done so, but instead, they didn’t try at all. Curious and wanting to know the answer, he asked a trainer nearby why the elephants were just standing there never trying to escape.
The trainer replied: “When they were very young and much smaller, we used the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe that they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.” – parable from India
Limiting beliefs are like invisible shackles around us that prevent us from growing and moving forward. Often rooted in the subconscious mind, these beliefs can go unnoticed, shaping our actions and decisions without our awareness. They hold us back from taking up too much space and from stepping outside familiar boundaries, even when our dreams lie beyond those limits. “Breaking the Spell” invites viewers to embark on a journey of self-discovery while exploring how to free ourselves from limiting beliefs and shape reality to our will.
Tumena (2000) is a visual artist from Pärnu who has acquired a bachelor’s degree in the painting department of the Estonian Academy of Arts (2019-2022) and furthered her studies with a graduate traineeship in Barcelona. Her artistic practice is driven by a profound interest in the human experience and a relationship one has with themselves and with life. What fascinates her most is the invisible, inexplicable something that gives the body lifeforce – the soul. Through her work, Tumena delves into the mysterious nature of the soul, often depicting the body as cut open, undeveloped, disfigured, or supernatural, reflecting various states of mind and spiritual development. Her main mediums include painting, installation, and video.
NB! The exhibition room can only be entered wearing socks or soft indoor shoes.
Graphic design: Markus Laanisto
The exhibition is supported by Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Kata &
Omad, Kevamer, Parool Reklaam
Special thanks to Kristal Väisa, Raul Tääker, Rein Tääker, Arm Astus, Marie Talts, Annabel Juhkental, Rommi Tääker, Tanel Tääker, Marion Saarik
