Moving Rosette

130 × 90 cmAnn Mirjam Vaikla’s art project Moving Rosette is a profound exploration of the connection between power structures, colonisation and visual representation. Through a thoughtful and critical approach to decolonisation, the artist challenges the dominant narrative of geopolitical tension between East and West, offering an alternative perspective that foregrounds the agency of the colonised.

At the heart of the project is a full moon-shaped rosette, originally a piece of Soviet decor located at the Sõprus Cinema building. Vaikla’s project involves moving a replica of the rosette to the Tallinn Art Hall’s City Gallery, where it is transformed into an installation object with a durational performative quality. A petroleum lamp “adorns” the front of the rosette, gradually covering it with black soot as it burns. Through this process, the Moon is recoloured within the context of decolonisation in Eastern Europe, inviting the viewer to contemplate the ways in which power structures have shaped our understanding of the world.

The choice of Sõprus Cinema as the original location for the rosette is significant, as it marks a pivotal moment in Soviet history when relations between the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China began to thaw. Moreover, the role of cinemas in establishing political control and power has long been a subject of controversy, making the replica of the rosette an apt symbol of the complex and multifaceted nature of power structures.

Overall, Ann Mirjam Vaikla’s Moving Rosette is a powerful and thought-provoking statement that challenges us to reconsider our understanding of colonisation and power structures. Through the act of decolonisation, the artist offers an alternative narrative that foregrounds the agency of the colonised, inviting us to imagine a more equitable and just world.