Tu and Whozzy
Tu and Whozzy is Kumu’s first exhibition designed specifically for children. The exhibition is part of the permanent exhibition of Estonian older art Landscapes of Identity and speaks to children on related themes. Through a playful display, it encourag1es young visitors to discover how art reflects who we are, helping them to understand themselves and others better.
The entire exhibition is designed at a child’s eye level, inviting young visitors to look, listen, and discover. The multi-level space provides opportunities to explore art from various perspectives – high and low, up close and far away, standing or lying down.
The exhibition features over 30 works, including paintings by renowned masters Johann Köler, Paul Raud, Karl Pärsimägi, Konrad Mägi, Olga Terri and many others. It also showcases sculptures by Jaan Koort and Ferdi Sannamees, the greats of Estonian sculpture, as well as contemporary sculptor Edith Karlsson.
Curators Darja Andrejeva and Anu Lüsi about the exhibition:
The Kumu Education Centre, with which we are both affiliated, has organised hundreds of museum lessons and public events in Kumu over the past 20 years, along with creating numerous hands-on spaces and activity sheets to accompany exhibitions. However, an exhibition specifically for children had yet to be realised. Now this big dream has come true.
Tu and Whozzy are the central characters of the exhibition. Tu is a child, always accompanied by Whozzy, the character that lives inside her. Every child has their own Whozzy: just as no two children are alike, no two Whozzies are the same.
So the true protagonists of the exhibition are not just Tu and Whozzy, but every child who takes part in the exhibition. Together with Tu and Whozzy, they embark on a journey of self-discovery, exploring their identities and the world around them through the artworks displayed.
While the exhibition has been designed with younger schoolchildren in mind, we warmly welcome visitors of all ages, children and adults. We are delighted to present several exciting works brought out from the storerooms of the Art Museum of Estonia. Children from the Kumu Art Studio also took part in the selection process, resulting in a unique collection that spans Estonian art classics to contemporary works – all united by the themes of identity and self-awareness.
Exhibition team
Curators: Darja Andrejeva and Anu Lüsi
Exhibition design: Valge Kuup
Graphic design: Asko Künnap
Installation manager: Hans-Otto Ojaste
Coordinator: Inga Jaagus
Supporters
The project received support from the Estonian National Heritage Board’s accelerator programme for museums.
