Do you know this story? 500 years of Estonian books
Book Year cluster exhibition at the Estonian National MuseumThe exhibition opens on 25 April 2025
The story of Estonian books began 500 years ago. On the panel to be created in the foyer of Section B of the Estonian National Museum as part of the Book Year, artist Siiri Taimla-Rannala has illustrated this entire colourful story in a way that also brings to light the history of the Estonian written language, reading, education, and literature.
For this purpose, we have summoned the rooster weathervane down from the church spire and, throughout the Book Year, will occasionally send Kristjan Jaak Peterson up to the celestial heights in its place. However, it turned out that the ABC rooster was so large and the history of Estonian books so heavy – one might even say weighty – that most of the rooster mysteriously sank underground, leaving only its head visible on the museum foyer wall. Like the tip of an iceberg, but fiery.
Honouring the wonders and possibilities of the art of printing and continuing to use them successfully even after 500 years, the Book Year panel at the Estonian National Museum extends nearly to the ceiling. Thus, a surprisingly rich cultural history is contained within the rooster’s head on the panel. Through simple and witty imagery, it becomes clear that this story of literature and culture is easy to remember. It’s as easy as ABC! Come and see for yourself.
Curators: Sirel Heinloo, Kertu Saks (author of the idea)
Artist: Siiri Taimla-Rannala
Animation: Tanel Rannala
The panel will remain at the Estonian National Museum until the end of 2025 and will open on 25 April 2025.
While the heart of the themed exhibition is the book history panel near the main entrance of the Estonian National Museum, we encourage visitors to continue exploring throughout the year. In Section B of the Estonian National Museum, you will find a refugee literature exhibition curated by Jan Kaus and artist Henry Griin, which aims to translate the expressive power of fiction and the central themes of refugee literature into a spatial experience. In Section A of the museum, just beyond the Book Year panel, the space in front of the Jakob Hurt Hall will house pop-up exhibitions. Plans include displays ranging from children’s book illustrations and the most beautiful books to fascinating volumes that have found their way into the Estonian Literary Museum’s collections through the Estonian National Museum’s collecting campaigns.
The accompanying programme of the Book Year cluster exhibition, running from April to December, invites visitors to enjoy readings, meet famous readers, listen to lectures by Jan Kaus, explore the reading nooks of the Estonian National Museum, and bring children to the School of Architecture’s book frame workshops, culminating in a unique book exhibition by the end of the year.
Partners: Estonian Literary Society, Estonian Literary Museum, Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Institute of the Estonian Language, School of Architecture, TYPA, and others.