A glimpse into early 20th century Estonian middle class life

Text Susanna Poikela
Photos Tallinn City Museum, 
Art Museum of Estonia

Eduard Wiiralt (1898–1954). Visit. 1925. Lithography. Art Museum of Estonia

 

Urmas Lüüs’ exhibition The Life and Death of Mr. N opened on Friday, October 4 at Kumu Art Museum in Tallinn. The exhibition takes visitors to the fictional character Mr. N’s house, which offers a glimpse into the birth of the Estonian middle class in 1920s and 1930s.

The Life and Death of Mr. N is an exploration based on associations, fiction, and imagination. What were the desires and thoughts of the middle class? What hidden urges and concealed fears shaped their lives? What thoughts preoccupied Mr. N? What made him feel free, and what held him back?

“When Kumu offered me this opportunity, I started with a question that had long haunted me: How do we deal with freedom? I remember Tammsaare writing in his novel Truth and Justice: ‘Freedom is that strange plant that eats itself’…,” explained Lüüs.

Urmas Lüüs (b. 1987) is a visual artist based in Tallinn. He trained as a blacksmith and specialises in large-scale installations and stage sets. His solo exhibitions are often narrative-driven and create immersive spatial environments.

In addition to Lüüs’ own spaces and objects, the exhibition features art, furniture, and consumer goods from the early 20th century. Works by artists such as Eduard Wiiralt, Johannes Mülber, Oskar Kallis, August Weizenberg, Erna Kreischmann, Hando Mugasto, Endel Kõks, and Amandus Adamson, among others, are on display, sourced from both Estonian museums and private collections.

The exhibition is open to the public on the third floor of Kumu until February 16,  2025.

 

 

 

To learn more about this and similar topics
1920s Estonia Art 1930s Estonia art Art in Estonia Estonian Artists History of Estonia Kumu Art Museum Tallinn Art Exhibitions Urmas Lüüs