Tartu Art School students bring residents’ wishes to life on a wall

As part of the “oPEN Lab” and “LIFE IP BuildEST” projects, students from Tartu Art School have created a mural in the passageway of the Uus 1 apartment building in Tartu, which is currently undergoing renovation. The artwork reflects residents’ preferences and draws inspiration from urban nature.

One of the aims of the renovation projects is to contribute to the European Renovation Wave by demonstrating how the deep renovation of existing apartment buildings can be made more efficient and widely replicable. To achieve this, innovative renovation solutions and smart energy systems are being tested. However, the focus extends beyond the technical modernisation of buildings. Equally important is working together with apartment associations and residents to create a more pleasant, sustainable living environment that responds to people’s needs.

Third-year students specialising in decoration at Tartu Art School also contributed to creating a more pleasant living environment. Under the guidance of their teacher, Marina Aleksejeva, they gave the passageway between the apartment buildings a completely new look.

The residents provided the brief for the art project. They wanted to see elements of urban nature, including animals, on the passageway walls, and hoped the artwork would create a sense of warmth and security. Based on their wishes, the decoration students developed nearly 20 design concepts, from which Diljara Piiri’s design was selected for implementation.

Diljara wanted to create something that would appeal to people of all ages and bring a calm and harmonious atmosphere to the passageway between the apartment buildings. The animals featured in the mural, in turn, add dynamism and vibrancy to the artwork.

Art in urban space

“It is very important to me that young people are given a place, time and space in the urban environment to showcase their art, whether through a mural, graffiti or an exhibition. My fellow students and I agree that real-life experiences like these, and working with a client, provide the motivation and confidence to continue pursuing a career in this field,” said Diljara Piiri.

The students’ teacher, Marina Aleksejeva, was delighted that a previously dim and uninviting passageway, covered in informal artwork, has gained a new look and artistic value thanks to the students’ creativity.

“Art in public spaces can serve many different purposes: it can bring humour, offer social commentary or create a sense of security – something that is reflected in the mural at Uus 1,” said Aleksejeva, who would welcome more collaborations of this kind in the future.

“The aim of this project was to give students the opportunity to take responsibility for a piece of work that residents, as clients, have expectations for and that will remain on the walls for years to come. It was a very valuable experience for the group, and they did an excellent job working together as a team,” she said, praising all the students who contributed to the mural.

About the projects

The implementation of the mural is funded by the “oPEN Lab”. “oPEN Lab” is an international project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme. It brings together partners from Estonia, Belgium and Spain. The activities in Tartu are carried out by the City of Tartu, the Institute of Baltic Studies, Tartu Regional Energy Agency, the University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Gren and Enefit.

The “LIFE IP BuildEST” project is funded by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) through the LIFE Integrated Projects programme. “LIFE IP BuildEST”, also known as the Renovation Marathon, aims to update and implement the objectives of Estonia’s long-term strategy for the renovation of buildings.

Photo credit: Hendrik Kuusk