Mirjam Varik „Familiar Stranger”

7.05.26 – 28.05.26

Jakobi Gallery, Jakobi 52, Tartu

On Thursday, April 7th at 6:00 PM, Mirjam Varik’s photography exhibition “Familiar Stranger” will open at Jakobi Gallery.

The project deals with the meeting of generations through photographs and archival materials. It is a story about grandfathers who have passed away and grandmothers who have stayed here, and how pictures, old letters and memories help to restore broken ties and understand our roots. We come from somewhere, we are like someone or have the face of someone.

Family history is never unambiguous — each new discovery changes the understanding of the past. The wars of the last century and the Iron Curtain severed ties in many families: some stayed here, others were sent away or fled abroad, leaving behind only vague memories. Silence became a part of everyday life, not everything was talked about. Children were not supposed to know everything, and even less so grandchildren.

Photographs taken in California, where a meeting with a previously unknown relative highlights past decisions, departures and new beginnings. Choices made several generations ago now open up new layers of meaning related to culture and identity. The song features excerpts from found letters and diaries, illustrated with historical footage.

Mirjam Varik (b. 1990) studied photography at the Tartu Art College (2014) and as an exchange student at the University of Art and Design Linz. She graduated from the Estonian Academy of Arts with a BA in graphic design (2021) and later completed an MA in contemporary art (2024). In her artistic practice, Varik articulates seemingly insignificant moments that have a lasting impact on personal formation. Through photography, video, and installation, she explores childhood experiences and identity in a narrative manner, focusing on memories, places, and phenomena.

Thanks: Filipp Varik, Marge Monko, Sandra Ernits, Tanja Muravskaja, Martin Pedanik, Eri Rääsk, Sarah Nõmm, Siim Preiman, EKA graphic art department.

The exhibition is supported by the Estonian Cultural Endowment of Estonian.

mirjamvarik.xyz

Song: Filipp Varik (Opéra National de Lyon)

Graphic design: Mirjam Varik

Jakob Gallery opening hours: Tue-Fri 1pm-6pm