Still from the animation dediated to the 5th anniversary of the museum by Léo Mourey (MA 1)
The Estonian Academy of Arts has had an university museum for 5 years now, which was established at the initiative of the rector for the management of the 100-year-old art collection (formerly the methodological fund). With the museum’s statute on March 19th 2019, it became a support unit within the jurisdiction of the Vice-Rector for Research. Although the museum, for the most part, operates relatively inconspicuously within closed collections, it has been occasionally visible through exhibitions mainly held in the gallery and atrium. However, the first claim is not entirely accurate – over fifty works owned by the museum are displayed daily in public spaces of the EKA, meaning that the museum surrounds the people of EKA almost everywhere in the building. In addition, the museum’s collection is introduced and interpreted through weekly social media posts.
What is the purpose of the EKA museum? Firstly, to preserve the values accumulated here over more than 100 years, a gigantic collection that reaches up to 100,000 units. While the initial goal of collecting was to provide examples for teaching, it has now expanded to also include valuing objects as works of art and the aim to make this relatively unknown collection accessible to everyone. Several museums have already found us while preparing their exhibitions, as well as researchers. A museum with such youthful content (student art) should not be “dead”! Therefore, it has been considered important to also collect the best of current student works, fairly representing all disciplines. Thanks to the representatives of the departments for their kind cooperation! It is still important to fill the “gaps” in the collection retrospectively. The EKA museum has 19 sub-collections!
During this time, significant work has been done in the museum’s storage facilities, one of which is located in the basement of the EKA building, and the other, more than half larger, in Ülemiste, in the Storage Library. To ensure that items are well preserved, the storage facilities have been renovated. New storage equipment has been acquired and old ones have been reused. Works collected over time in countless techniques and materials are being sorted, rearranged, and modernly packaged; systematized, registered, and location catalogs have been created; entered into the MuIS information system, described, and photos have been added to the digital repository. Among the most time-consuming actions, approximately 500 large-scale textiles were photographed, resulting in them being accounted for and described. (See more: muis.ee, EKA museum).
The museum wishes to draw attention to its first anniversary in a more playful manner than listing the accomplishments. We commissioned an animation from EKA animation department student Léo Mourey (MA 1st year) on the theme of the museum’s birthday, which was created in a horror film style. The result, which was very well received by all parties, has also become the event’s visual identity.
Thanks to Anu-Laura Tuttleberg for mediating the collaboration!
On Thursday, March 21, tours of the EKA museum’s 5th birthday will take place.
From 14:00 to 15:00, an art tour will be held, introducing the exhibited works in the public space.
From 16:00 to 17:00, there will be a storage tour, providing a glimpse into the Soviet-era bomb shelter in the basement of the EKA, where one of the museum’s collections is currently located.
Both tours will begin in the atrium on the 1st floor.
Pre-registration required.
The maximum group size is 20 people.
The tours will be guided by Reeli Kõiv and Anna Birgitta Erikson.