Moomin Peace |
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When I was given the task of creating the Moomin Peace exhibition on the upper floor of the medieval tower Kiek in de Kök, I felt both honored and perplexed. Honored, because it is a great privilege for me to work on such a timely theme - so relevant in today’s unsettled world - for a Tallinn museum and in the famous tower I have known since my childhood. And perplexed, because in my mind the massive medieval walls, fortifications, ancient armor, and cannons had little in common with the world of the Moomins… The challenge was compounded by the fact that it was not possible to remove the cannons and fortress models from the exhibition hall. Despite their stark differences in meaning, style, and atmosphere, the old tower and the Moominhouse turned out to be strikingly similar in form. That form serves different purposes: the tower was built to defend against enemies from outside, while the doors of the Moominhouse are always open to the most diverse guests - including those who may not seem pleasant at first glance. As Sirke Happonen aptly observes, “Tove Jansson’s Moomin works are not based on the battle between good and evil, but on the coexistence of different personalities and the tension and humour that arise from it.” My task as the exhibition’s architect was therefore to play with this resemblance of form and the contrast in function and aesthetics. If the tower is somewhat dark and somber, with its massive thick walls, then inside I wanted the world of the Moomins to feel light and sunlit, semi-transparent and glowing, alive and breathing, a little mysterious yet very welcoming to all visitors - a true oasis of peace and calm. I leave it to the visitors themselves to decide whether the intended effect has been achieved. Yet beyond contrast, there is also a deeper connection between the Moomin world and the medieval fortress tower. Indeed, the Moomins are not a warlike people; they love adventures and are ready to face life’s twists and catastrophes with courage (such as the arrival of a comet). But nowhere in the entire Moomin saga is there any talk of a struggle against evil. Remarkably, among the characters of the Moomin world, there are virtually no embodiments of evil (perhaps with the exception of the snake in The Moomins and the Great Flood). Even the Groke is ultimately understood and accepted by the Moomins. Sadly, in our real world, evil does exist. Freedom, love, understanding, and tolerance - all the beautiful qualities and values of the Moominvaley - require protection and preservation in our troubled times. May the old cannons and the mighty walls of the medieval tower Kiek in de Kök serve as a reminder of that. Watch video on youtube: https://youtu.be/OdFBsFgqVq0
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