The Kumu Art Museum, located in the side of a lime­
stone bank, and its courtyard have a circular floor plan.
The building was designed by the Finnish architect Pekka
Vapaa­vuori, and it was opened to the public in 2006. The
museum’s outstanding architectural solution was awarded
the European Museum of the Year Award in 2008.
The museum’s main entrance opens onto an inner
courtyard, where wide staircases and rhythmically
zigzagging ramps offer various trajectories and create an
open environment. The light dolomite that has been used
to cover the inner courtyard reflects abundant sunlight.
An eye-catching pool with a chequered design is situated
on the same level as the main entrance.
D
E
F
EXHIBITION “TERRA INCOGNITA: FAMILIAR INFINITY”
IN THE KUMU ART MUSEUM COURTYARD
12.06.–12.09.2016
G
By the year 2000, all of the places on earth were visible via
satellite photos: the photo lens had seen the entire space
utilised by humans. This creates an image of a totally
archived world, an inventoried space, where expeditions
of discovery have lost their former meaning.
Where could we draw the modern boundaries of terra
incognita? Cutting-edge science can bring us images
of galaxies that existed 13 billion years ago. Perhaps we
can search for the unknown nearby? When the world is
mapped to the last detail and becomes its own museum,
the museum may become something exotic, offering
discoveries in a hidden archive.
The point of departure for “Terra incognita: Familiar
Infinity” is the underused space in the Kumu Art Museum
Courtyard. The architectural garden paths and the centrelike courtyard create a feeling of a utopian way station.
Actually, the courtyard is located between two contrasting
areas: the tunnel at the end of the courtyard leads directly
to Soviet-era Lasnamägi and the stairs lead down to
Kadriorg Park, created in the 18th century.
Artists have turned their attention to the intriguing
confluence and and created new branches for exploration.
The paths can also lead to the terra incognita in the
explorers themselves.
The exhibited works join museum and meteorite, and
a real connection is established between Jupiter and
visitors’ heartbeats. The matter in the courtyard is used to
create a tone and its recording is composed into a storm
wave. A sign made of flowers that can be read by NATO
pilots and a digital cavern have been created in Kumu.
We can witness the digital sheltering that grows over the
whole courtyard.
The exhibition is a special extension of the Riga Sculpture
Quadrennial 2016.
Curator: Kirke Kangro
ARTISTS AND ARTWORKS
A
Marianne Jõgi (EE, 1983)
Inaudibles 2: A Substrate-Independent Bond.
2014
Heart sound body, Jupiter sound body, stethoscope
and sound analyser
B
Kati Saarits (EE, 1992)
Prairie. 2016
Varnished wood, paint and marking ribbon
C
Kim De Ruysscher (BE, 1973)
Inside. 2006
Limestone
H
I
Kasper Bosmans (BE, 1990)
Hard to Be Humble. 2015–2016
2600 flowering plants, and the sign of the The NATO
Tiger Association (NTA) (founded in 1961 with the
purpose of enhancing solidarity between the different
air force squadrons of the NATO member states); visible
from aeroplanes
Philippe Van Wolputte (BE, 1982)
Short Time Stay. 2016
Site specific intervention
Jacob Jessen (DK, 1976)
Weight of the World. 2016
Iron meteorite, 4.56 billion years old (from the Campo
del Cielo crash around 3000 B.C.); railing of the Kumu
Art Museum
Marianne Jõgi (EE, 1983)
An Interaural Contour. 2016
Interaural cross-correlation coefficient of the sound
field (principle of contour creation based on the
subjective preference theory), apparent separation
between Polaris and Vega (the once and future
northern pole star), frequencies played on the lyre and
membrane. A longing for the infinity of the universe
occupies a room articulated by an acoustic coefficient,
which supports our naturally preferred state of wellbeing, accompanied by imaginary sounds played on
the lyre. Vega, the brightest star in the constellation
Lyra, progresses along the arc of the contour from
sunset on opening day to the first morning light the
day after the exhibition. In time-consciousness, we
notice the vibration of the Earth compared to the
North Star. It is in time-consciousness that we have
charted our naturally preferred vibrations of wellbeing. The derivative coefficient is a manifest bridge
between time- and space-consciousness. The state of
well-being I am in is wholeness, is love.
THE SLOPE OF LASNAMÄE
1
K
Sten Saarits (EE, 1987)
Sven Sosnitski (EE, 1987)
TheGreat.wav. 2013/2016
Sound recorded in the courtyard of the museum,
composed into a storm wave; 18-channel audio
Augustas Serapinas (LT, 1990)
Backyard. 2016
Plants chosen and grown by the employees of the
Kumu Art Museum
19
Roof terrace of Kumu
From June to August you can visit the roof terrace
of Kumu, perfect for enjoying the spectacular views
of Tallinn and the unique architecture of the Kumu
Art Museum. In fine weather, visits to the roof
terrace take place at 3 pm from Tuesday to Sunday;
the assembly point is by the information desk. For
single visitors, access to the roof terrace is included
in the admission fee.
20
Ping pong
In summer, there are ping pong tables in the inner
courtyard of Kumu waiting for players during the
museum’s opening hours.
21
Inner courtyard library
Art books available to everyone for thumbing
through, reading or just for looking at pictures. If
there is a book that you particularly like, you may
take it home with you, or you may bring one of your
own books here for others to read.
22
The best seats for enjoying a bird song concert
The best sunny spot for spring-time bird song
audiences is on the edge of the plateau, where
there are benches.
23
Kumu’s belly button
This is the actual central point of the circular Kumu
building.
24
Iron man challenge
The stairway leading from Kadriorg Park to the
upper gate of Kumu is an invigorating challenge for
an athletic art lover.
25
The sci-fi writer’s avenue
A practically endless crescent, in which space and
rhythm intertwine in a timeless composition. The
backstage of the real world, a science fiction stage.
Mindaugas Navakas (1952)
Horizontal cylinder. 2000. Steel
2
Anton Starkopf (1889–1966)
Mother and Child. 1940. Granite
3
Anton Starkopf (1889–1966)
Romeo and Juliet. 1963. Granite
4
Jass Kaselaan (1981)
Square of Dolls. 2014. Installation *
5
Eero Hiironen (1938)
Karjala. From the series “Earth and Water”. 1995.
Steel and aluminium
6
Kadri Metsik (1962)
Rider. 1989. Bronze
7
Neeme Külm (1974)
A Cow Cast in Concrete. 2006. Concrete
8
Renaldo Veeber (1937–2010)
Maria. 1972. Granite
9
Anton Starkopf (1889–1966)
Stone Flower. 1958. Granite
Anton Starkopf (1889–1966)
A Reclining Woman. 1948. Granite
Martin Saks (1902–1962)
After Work. 1947. Granite
Anton Starkopf (1889–1966)
The Distressed. 1942. Granite
Anton Starkopf (1889–1966)
Forgive Me. 1963. Granite
Anton Starkopf (1889–1966)
A Woman Grieving. (Evening). 1936–1937. Granite
Armands Zelchs (LV, 1978)
Untitled. 2016
Concrete and Minion Pro Regular
Aksel Haagensen (EE, 1993)
Yes, And How Many Times. 2016
Sound installation. Bullet shells, cable and metal
objects
OTHER NICE PLACES
INNER COURTYARD OF KUMU
Hanna Piksarv (EE, 1989)
My Current Water. 2016
Wave pattern on the river Danube 09.05.2016 16:14,
cotton and acetate. Hand embroidery in backstitch
J
L
SCULPTURES IN AND AROUND THE INNER
COURTYARD OF KUMU
CAFÉ TERRACE
10
Raul Meel (1941)
Civilization 2. Geo-Skeletons on Granite. 2004/2014.
Steel panels and steel wire
STAIRWAY GALLERY
11
Lembit Palm (1944)
A Book Post Parcel. 1988. Granite
12
Ekke Väli (1952)
The Great Bustler. 1987. Bronze
13
Mare Mikof (1941)
Country Woman. 1983. Bronze
14
Edgar Viies (1931–2006)
Venus. 1981. Bronze
15
Jaan Toomik (1961)
Way to São Paulo. 1994. Video installation *
16
Hille Palm (1941)
Cloud. 1983. Bronze and granite
17
Ülo Õun (1940–1988)
The First Egg of a Young Bird. 1976. Bronze
18
Mati Karmin (1959)
A Militarist Fox. 1982. Welded iron
* The work is part of the exhibition “Kumu Hits. Contemporary
Art from the Collection of the Art Museum of Estonia”
(Contemporary Art Gallery, 5th floor)
26
27
The invisible tram
Originally, a tram track was designed in the middle of
the “Lasnamäe canal”, but it was never actually built.
LasnaVILJAmägi
A seasonal art installation brings agricultural lands
into the urban landscape. The grain fields compris­
ing the project have been installed on the staircase
leading from the Pallasti bridge (which was original­
ly intended for access to the tram stop in the middle
of the channel) and in the area separating the traffic
lanes. The authors of the project are Andrea Tamm
and Ann Press, two MA students in the Department
of Interior Architecture at the Estonian Academy of
Arts.
Historically, Estonia’s first grain fields were located
in Lasnamägi. This summer, barley – the oldest grain
culture in Estonia, which arrived here from Russia –
will be grown in the Lasnamägi channel. The barley,
as well as the location of the field in Lasnamägi and
bordering the city centre, embodies the idea of
cultural integration. Waiting for the harvest symbol­
ises waiting for the tram, the construction of which
is still in the city’s development plans.