Objects from the Identity Landscape

Eike Eplik presents wicker and sculptures made of clay, willow and wire. On the one hand, these are obscure consumer goods that could belong to the “product catalogue” of Siim the basket weaver in Vallak’s story, or to the toolkit of the inhabitants of Soontaga Village and Latvian rat catchers that have come to rescue them in Heinsaar’s Toomas and the Rat Catchers. On the other hand, these works reflect the idea of a body that constantly recreates itself: learning and teaching manual work, just like passing on traditions, are a pledge of sustainability for both the individual and society. Basket weavers like Siim and storytellers like the runner along the border are, in a way, magical and archetypal characters who intertwine with the material in their activities.