Shifting Sand
Artists: Kati Saarits, Mariann Metsis, Angela Maasalu, Ingmar Järve
Curator: Lilian Hiob-Kuttis
2024
Gallery Asni
Photos: K.Madjare

Shifting Sand brought together Ingmar Järve, Mariann Metsis, Kati Saarits, and Angela Maasalu in an exploration of memory’s mutable nature, drawn on Svetlana Boym’s concept of reflective nostalgia. Through their distinct practices, the artists engaged with historical narratives, personal loss and domestic rituals, allowing fragmented elements to surface and shift. The works in this exhibition suggested that memory is fluid, continually reframing our relationship to the past and its impact on the present.

Kati Saarits drew attention to a piece of forgotten history through her sculptural work, which got inspiration from lifestyle magazines, some of them dating back almost 100 years, which included DIY craft manuals. Saarits focused on the humble, yet symbolically rich, medium of tableware and domestic fabrics— everyday objects that carry within them the weight of history and importance of daily ritual. These works can be viewed as symbols of resilience and creativity in the face of material scarcity, drawing attention to the way domestic acts can be a space of both conformity and quiet rebellion. Her work highlights the tension between utilitarianism and expression, between the past and the present, underscoring the ways in which personal and cultural memory can be reclaimed, reshaped, and reinterpreted.
Written by curator Lilian Hiob-Küttis


Folded, Threaded, Covered
Re-used painted wood furniture, beeswax-coated textile, waxed string,
painted porcelain
114 x 90 cm

Instructed Ideals, Pinned
Re-used varnished wood furniture, glass, starched linen, textile, glass-headed pin needles, ceramics, porcelain, embroidered paper napkin, pencil on baking paper
Dimension variable

For Wallfllowers
Porcelain
20 x 20 cm