The exhibition centres on one specific thread within the “social fabric” of life in Estonia today: domestic violence against women. Even though the artist is dedicating the show to the experiences of Estonian women, it touches upon problems that don’t lose their validity outside of the country, as they occur in almost every society. Yet the personal endearment of the artist to this topic has not just grown recently and did not simply rise out of solidarity; rather it is rooted within her own biography. In 2009, the mother of the artist, Margo Orupõld opened a women’s support centre in the city of Pärnu, as part of a national movement that has seen the gradual opening of women’s shelters across the country since the early 2000s. Over the years, Kasearu, through creative workshops and art projects, has been engaging with several generations of women living in and receiving counselling from the Pärnu Women’s Shelter. Spanning across the generous spaces of Tallinn Art Hall, the artist conceived the exhibition as a narration in chapters that follows the commonly known steps often undertaken and experienced by survivors who seek to claim independence from their abusive partners.

Curated by Cathrin Mayer

Courtesy of the artist and Tallinn Art Hall
Photocredit Paul Kuimet