Piia Ruber OLULISED ASJAD / RUUMI KODUSTAMINE 25.10.–18.11.2025

Piia Ruber tegeleb oma isikunäitusel „Olulised asjad / Ruumi kodustamine“ omailma hoidmise, loomise, mäletamise ja ruumi kodustamisega. Installatiivne fotoseeria baseerub valikul munitsipaalhooldekodu klientidele olulistest asjadest, ruumi kodustamise ja identiteedi hoidmise katsetest. Nii isiklikku kui üldkasutatavat ruumi ühiskodus enamasti napib ja kaasa saab tuua vähesed asjad. Tõesti, kaduvväikese koguse elu jooksul kogunenust, need kõige olulisemad. Lahkutakse päriseks oma harjunud keskkonnast, tuppa, kus tihtipeale juba mõned elanikud ees ootamas. Oma ruumi loomiseks ja olemise toestamiseks tarvilike asjade jaoks on vaid öökapp ja mõned riiulid. Kunstnik küsib, et mis siis on hädavajalik identiteedi hoidmiseks, mälestuste säilitamiseks ja ruumi kodustamiseks? Valik tuleb teha. Või tehakse see teiste poolt. Igal kaasatoodud asjal on lugu. Oma näituse kontekstis vaatleb kunstnik öökapilaudadele seatud asju mis konstrueerivad asjade omaniku loo või paigutavad ta hajusatesse raamidesse. Mõnd eset vaadates annab lugu end kergemini kätte, seostub kunagise ametitegevuse või maitse-eelistustega, aga valikute põhjused ühe või teise eseme kasuks on peidetumad. Aga võib ka olla, et öökapil ei ole midagi, ei ole tahetudki.

Nii nagu oma kunagises tekstis viitas ehtekunstnik Kadri Mälk, portreteerib Ruber inimesi – piltidel pole hingelistki, aga hing on.

Piia Ruber (snd 1972) alustas kunstiõpinguid Eesti Kunstiakadeemias metallikunsti osakonnas, kuid vahetas eriala ja lõpetas graafikuna. Ta tuli Eesti kunsti 1990ndate keskel Eesti Kunstiakadeemia tollaste fotoõppejõudude Eve ja Peeter Linnapi ümber koondunud üliõpilaste rühmituses, mis on kunstiajalukku läinud Faculty of Taste’i või sellega haakunud [mobil:] galeriina. Lisaks loomingulise tegevusele töötab Ruber kultuurilehes Sirp kujundja ja fotograafina. Ta on õpetanud Eesti Kunstiakadeemias ja Vanalinna Hariduskolleegiumis, kujundanud üle 150 raamatu, teinud kümmekond isikunäitust ja osalenud paljudel grupinäitustel nii Eestis kui väljaspool. 

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In her solo exhibition Things that Matter / Domesticating Space, Piia Ruber deals with preserving, creating, remembering, and domesticating space, one's own umwelt. The installative photo series is based on a selection of things that are important to the residents of a municipal nursing home while Ruber has observed the residents' attempts to domesticate the space and preserve their identity. Both personal and shared space in a nursing home can be scarce, and residents can bring only a few personal items with them. These most important things, a tiny amount among of possessions accumulated over lifetime.

These people have left their familiar home environment for good and entered a room where some residents are often already there. Only a bedside table and a few shelves should be the basis for storing the things needed for existing and creating their own space. The artist asks what is critically essential for maintaining one's identity, preserving memories, and making a space feel like home?

One has to make a choice. Or it will be made by others. Every item brought along has its own story. In the context of her present exhibition, Piia Ruber observes the items placed on bedside tables, which construct the story of their owner or place them in a diffuse framework. With some things, the related story is easier to grasp, especially when connected to a former profession or taste preferences, but the reasons for choosing one item over another are more hidden. But it may also be that the bedside table is empty and that is intentional.

As jewelry artist Kadri Mälk has once mentioned in her earlier text, Ruber portrays people—there is no-one in the pictures, but there is spirit.

Piia Ruber (b. 1972) began her studies at the Estonian Academy of Arts in the metal art department, but changed her major and graduated as a graphic artist. In the mid-1990s, she joined a group of students gathered around Eve and Peeter Linnap, then photography lecturers at the Estonian Academy of Arts – the group was registered in art history under the name Faculty of Taste and the associated [mobil:] gallery. In addition to her creative practice, Ruber works as a designer and photographer at the cultural weekly Sirp. Piia Ruber has taught at the Estonian Academy of Arts and the Old Town Educational College, Tallinn; designed over 150 books; held a dozen solo exhibitions, and participated in many group exhibitions both in Estonia and abroad.