Articulated Models

Focusing on Soviet-era design and its industry in Estonia, Ott Metusala examines how and why the occupying power used design and aesthetics to establish its authority in our private spaces. Metusala builds upon the sketches made by his grandmother, Kirsti Metusala, who was a lamp designer for Estoplast during the Soviet occupation of Estonia. With other archival material (images, objects, design sketches, and also memories) their standardised environments are remodelled and the utopias in which they appeared highlighted. This series of works started in 2015 with the publication Nobody Expected There Would Be Much Discussion About It. In this publication, Metusala combined an extensive interview with Kirsti Metusala together with images of lamps which her designs contributed to. The research and work continued through various forms by a process of constant composing, visualising, and unpacking of new elements.