“Serpent“ by Terje Ojaver

Terje Ojaver, a classic of contemporary Estonian sculpture, is opening the new solo exhibition Serpent at the Tartu Art Museum on 8 March, displaying the very latest of her work and a selection of her earlier creations.

Terje Ojaver’s sculptures speak of life as a challenge that must be faced. A giant woman armed with a pitchfork is ready to defend her home and children, yet she is fully aware of the dual purpose of her weapon. She knows that a corpse is essentially fertilizer, worm food: the beginning of new life.

By surrendering themselves to the cycles of nature, the figures in Terje Ojaver’s work rise above the self-indulgent absurdity of human activity. They are saints. However, Ojaver’s animalism does not draw inspiration from shamanism; it is instead modernist, classic and the work of a trained sculptor. Just as nature serves as a religious imperative for Ojaver, traditional craftsmanship forms the ethical foundation of her artistic practice. Art must be good, and its contents must align with the laws of nature.

Terje Ojaver (b. 1955) graduated from the Department of Sculpture at the State Art Institute in 1985 and quickly immersed herself in the Estonian art scene. She emerged triumphant amidst the paradigm shifts of the 1990s, securing her place among the strongest female artists of the era. It was during this time that the defining features of her work — a boldly articulated female perspective and environmental consciousness — took shape. The laws of love, life and nature are timeless, and Ojaver’s latest works are frequently exhibited alongside those of younger artists, many of whom have flourished under her guidance as a teacher.

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue on the artist’s work.

Artist: Terje Ojaver
Exhibition design: Mare Mikoff
Graphic design: Tuuli Aule
Coordinator: Rene Kriisa

Exhibition team: Indrek Aavik, Richard Adang, Jānis Aleksis (YesWeCan), Nele Ambos, Indrek Grigor, Mari Hiiemäe, Joanna Hoffmann, Mare Joonsalu, Margus Joonsalu, Annegret Kriisa, Erik Liiv, Katrin Lõoke, Liivo Lõoke, Eva Mahhov, Jaanika Peebo, Anti Saar, Peeter Talvistu

The exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia

Lisainfo:
Tartu Art Museum
Tel: +372 5881 7811
Raekoja plats 18, Tartu
Wed, Fri–Sun 11.00–18.00
Thu 11.00–20.00