The Secrets of the Leaning Building @ Tartu Art Museum, Tartu 09.08.2024 – 02.02.2025

Curator: Hanna-Liis Kont / Exhibition architect: Kaisa Sööt / Graphic design: Laura Merendi / Participants: Jaakko Autio (Finland), Simon and Tom Bloor (UK), William Forsythe (USA, Germany), Kristiina Hansen and Sigrid Viir (Estonia), Jarõna Ilo (Estonia), Anna-Liisa Kree (Estonia), Leisure: Meredith Carruthers and Susannah Wesley (Canada), Lundahl & Seitl (Sweden), Johanna Sternfeld, Karolin Kägi and Jaan Tamkivi from the Vivita Creativity Accelerator for Kids and Youths (Estonia), the Baltic Engagement Center of Information Disorders and the Bullying-Free School Foundation (Estonia). The works of nearly 30 artists from the collections of the Tartu Art Museum and the Art Museum of Estonia, as well as thematic books from more than 40 authors, will also be exhibited / Exhibition partners: the Baltic Engagement Center of Information Disorders, Bullying-Free School Foundation, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Estonian Union for Child Welfare, Kidsmile Podcast, O. Luts Tartu City Library, Shaté Dance School, Sõber Raamat, Tartu 2024 Foundation, Tartu Dance Academy, Tartu Emajõe School, The Estonian Library for the Blind, the University of Tartu Academic Sports Club, University of Tartu Library and Vivita Creativity Accelerator for Kids and Youths. / Funders: ⁠a-n The Artists Information Company⁠, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Estonian Embassy in Berlin, IASPIS, Ledshow, Ministry of Culture of Estonia, Nordic Culture Point, and the Republic of Estonia Education and Youth Board (Harno).

In collaboration with curator Hanna-Liis Kont and 30 talented artists, I contributed my audio art expertise to create an immersive, multi-sensory exhibition specifically aimed at children and families. As a sound artist focused on audience engagement, I was particularly excited about this opportunity to create meaningful sonic interactions between parents and children. My contribution to this carefully curated space included designing an intricate sound environment utilizing a 16-channel wireless RF sound system, integrating four 10-channel sound cards, and creating two sound-resonating water basins and an eight-channel resonating whispering wall.

The exhibition, titled The Secrets of the Leaning Building, reflects Kont’s curatorial vision of creating a journey of discovery for visitors of all ages. Within the unique architecture of the Leaning Building, with its hidden windows, secret passages, and cozy nooks, my sound installations complement the overall exhibition design, creating moments for sonic exploration and intimate listening experiences.

For this project, I developed a pair of sound-resonating water basins, which I painted with Mussou Black during my residency at Haihatus in the spring of 2024. This extraordinary paint absorbs 99.6% of sunlight, transforming the basins into two-dimensional silhouettes that create an striking visual contrast to their rich sonic presence. The installation captures visitors’ voices through embedded microphones, transmitting their reflections in real-time through eight kinesthetic resonators to the whispering wall – creating an intimate dialogue between the audience and the space. While bringing this sonic environment to life required learning new technical skills, including basic Python coding, it allowed me to further develop my practice of creating meaningful audience interactions through sound.

The Secrets of the Leaning Building exhibition at Tartu Art Museum was awarded Exhibition of the Year 2024 at the Estonian Annual Museum Awards on February 7, 2025. This prestigious recognition, considered the grand prize of Estonia’s museum awards, speaks to curator Hanna-Liis Kont’s innovative vision and ability to bring together diverse artistic practices into a cohesive whole. Kont, who received a recognition award from the Cultural Endowment of Estonia for her recent curatorial work, created an exhibition framework that allowed each artist’s contribution to shine while maintaining a strong overall narrative. The exhibition continues to draw visitors and inspire educational initiatives across southern Estonia and beyond.

The exhibition will run until February 2025, giving visitors ample time to explore not only the museum but also the multisensory artworks in Holm Park. This exhibition features mostly new works created specifically for this event, inviting exciting encounters that encourage self-expression and cooperation. The Treasury of Views and Story Attic are also worth discovering, with art selected in collaboration with children and a curated collection of children’s books.

The exhibition has received exceptional recognition, including the prestigious Exhibition of the Year 2024 Award at the Estonian Annual Museum Awards. This success reflects the dedication of the entire team, particularly curator Hanna-Liis Kont, who received an additional recognition award from the Cultural Endowment of Estonia for her curatorial work. The project’s realization was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Tartu Art Museum team, including Indrek Grigor, head of the exhibitions department, alongside numerous participating artists and institutional partners.

As part of the exhibition program, a specialized EEG workshop was conducted at Palupera, utilizing the Nature Within device to visualize participants’ neural activity. The workshop enabled children and adults to observe their brain activity projected in real-time, offering unique insights into cognitive and emotional processes. The award-winning exhibition The Secrets of the Leaning Building will continue at Tartu Art Museum until February 2025.