The monumental sculptures from Estonian artist Edith Karlson's acclaimed "Hora Lupi" exhibition, which represented Estonia at the 2024 Venice Art Biennale, have arrived at their new home in the atrium of Kumu Art Museum in Tallinn. The impressive works are now accessible to Estonian audiences for the first time since their international debut.
Following their successful presentation at the prestigious Venice Biennale in 2024, Karlson's sculptures embarked on an international tour that took them to Dresden, Germany, where they became part of a major joint German-Estonian art exhibition. This collaborative show is also scheduled to arrive at Kumu galleries in the near future, alongside the sculptures currently on display.
"Now they are at Kumu so that Estonian people can see them, and from there, they will go on to Finland. I don't know what will happen after that," Karlson explained about the continuing journey of her artworks. The sculptures' tour reflects the growing international recognition of Estonian contemporary art and Karlson's work in particular.
The logistics of moving these massive artworks present significant challenges that Karlson has learned to anticipate through experience. Standing 5 meters high and weighing several hundred kilograms each, the sculptures require careful planning for transportation and installation. "You have to consider it. When I first started out, I would rush into things and only think about them afterwards. That backfired badly," Karlson admitted.
"People learn from their mistakes, and nowadays I measure the doors first and find out how much weight can be put there. These things need to be clarified from the outset," she told reporters. However, she acknowledged that even with careful planning, unexpected issues can arise. "That does not rule out the possibility that something could still be a little wrong. A centimeter went wrong, and so on," she added with characteristic honesty.
The transportation process requires strategic thinking about where to divide the sculptures for safe movement. Karlson noted that it's necessary to think through where to cut the sculptures in half so that they can be taken apart and then put back together during the transportation process. This engineering approach is crucial for preserving the integrity of the artworks while making them transportable.
Karlson emphasized that she never tackles these complex installations alone. "And I never do it alone, because I'm too foolish for that. I usually have the help of exhibition technicians Tõnu Narro and Mihkel Lember, who bring an engineering approach that is very much needed," she said. This collaborative approach highlights the technical expertise required for large-scale contemporary sculpture installations.
Tõnu Narro, one of the exhibition technicians who regularly works with Karlson, explained the practical challenges they face with each installation. He noted that it's not possible to rebuild protective boxes around such large sculpture parts, as this would make transportation impossible. Consequently, the team must address transport-induced damage after each move.
"Every time we put them up, we go over all these scratches separately. That takes a day or two," Narro explained, describing the meticulous restoration work required after each installation. This attention to detail ensures that the sculptures maintain their visual impact despite the rigors of international touring.
Despite the technical challenges, there's a sense of camaraderie and humor in the installation process. Narro described the contrast between professional installers and the artists themselves: "Installers who have to put up other artists' works are nervous and move the works very carefully and delicately. Then the artist always comes and throws the works around between their greasy hands, chucks them in the air and drops them."
Karlson joined in on the joke, adding, "We have a joke among ourselves that if something happens, then nothing happens. Something is always being figured out." This lighthearted approach to the inevitable challenges of large-scale art installation reflects the professional relationship and mutual trust between the artist and her technical team.
The installation process at Kumu proved significantly easier than the challenges faced at the Venice Biennale. "Even the floor was under heritage protection there. We couldn't even dream of using anything like a forklift. Everything had to be done with extreme sensitivity and gentleness," Narro recalled about the Venice installation.
"Installing such large objects in those conditions was a challenge, but we succeeded and didn't break anything," he said with evident pride. The contrast between the restrictive conditions in Venice and the more accommodating environment at Kumu demonstrates how venue-specific factors can dramatically affect the installation process.
For Karlson, participation in the Venice Biennale has opened new doors and created unexpected opportunities. "It's interesting because I didn't approach it that way myself, but it's a fact that it has brought me more work," she reflected on the career impact of the prestigious international exposure.
In their current setting at Kumu, the sculptures take on a different character than in previous venues. According to Karlson, "In their new temporary home, the sculptures look very small." However, she remains optimistic about the adaptation, adding simply, "But I'll get used to it." This comment reflects how the same artworks can appear dramatically different depending on their architectural context.
The "Hora Lupi" exhibition at Kumu represents not only a homecoming for these internationally acclaimed works but also an opportunity for Estonian audiences to experience firsthand the sculptures that have been representing their country's contemporary art scene on the global stage. The installation marks another chapter in the ongoing international journey of these monumental works, with their next destination in Finland already confirmed.
