Exhibitions
Comming! THE MAGIC OF MIRRORS: FROM FUNCTION TO FASHION
Humans have sought their reflection since the dawn of time. At first, it shimmered back from the surface of water, and later from a variety of artificial reflectors crafted by human hands. The immersive exhibition The Magic of Mirrors: From Function to Fashion invites visitors to explore mirrors through the ages – from a natural pool of water to the modern smartphone. The display is brought together into a dazzling whole by fashion designer Liisi Eesmaa’s mirror dresses from her legendary 2008 collection Mirror Tetris.
Among the nearly one hundred mirrors on view, the rarest include a bronze mirror made four thousand years ago in ancient Egypt, distinctive Venetian examples, and pieces in rococo and baroque frames, as well as distorting mirrors from Rõika-Meleski, the largest mirror manufacturer ever to operate in Estonia. The partly tarnished, distorted images they cast can feel unsettling and offer a glimpse into why mirrors have long been surrounded by superstition and mystique. The exhibited mirrors come from the collections of the Estonian History Museum and private collector Toomas Zupping, many of them shown to the public for the first time.
Liisi Eesmaa’s mirror dresses hold an iconic place in Estonian fashion design. Her Mirror Tetris collection earned her first major professional accolade – the Grand Prix at the 2008 SuperNoova competition. The dresses have since been exhibited on numerous occasions and continue to inspire with their extraordinary play of form and material.
The exhibition was designed into a captivating whole by acclaimed stage and film designer Eugen Tamberg.
Among the nearly one hundred mirrors on view, the rarest include a bronze mirror made four thousand years ago in ancient Egypt, distinctive Venetian examples, and pieces in rococo and baroque frames, as well as distorting mirrors from Rõika-Meleski, the largest mirror manufacturer ever to operate in Estonia. The partly tarnished, distorted images they cast can feel unsettling and offer a glimpse into why mirrors have long been surrounded by superstition and mystique. The exhibited mirrors come from the collections of the Estonian History Museum and private collector Toomas Zupping, many of them shown to the public for the first time.
Liisi Eesmaa’s mirror dresses hold an iconic place in Estonian fashion design. Her Mirror Tetris collection earned her first major professional accolade – the Grand Prix at the 2008 SuperNoova competition. The dresses have since been exhibited on numerous occasions and continue to inspire with their extraordinary play of form and material.
The exhibition was designed into a captivating whole by acclaimed stage and film designer Eugen Tamberg.
Team:
Curator: Anne Ruussaar
Artist: Eugen Tamberg
Graphic design: Kätlin Tischler-Süld
Project manager: Marje Jürgenson
Technical design: Madis Matesen, Koit Annus
Estonian language editor: Hille Saluäär
Print: Digitrükk OÜ
English translation: Refiner Translations OÜ
Thank you:
Toomas Zupping, Liisi Eesmaa, Liisa Ojaveer