Exhibition of Estonian mittens in Tournai in the frameworks of the Belgian EU presidency

20.07.2010 - 30.09.2010

On July 19, an exhibition of Estonian mittens was opened in Espace Wallonie in Tournai. The exhibition “Käevarjud. The history of Estonian mittens” introduces Estonian culture and environment through the knitted ornaments of the gloves as well as through the people who used to wear them. The exhibition will be open to the public until September 30, 2010.

For Estonians, living in a northern climate, the mittens are an essential element in their lives. In addition to their practical value, mittens have also played a significant role in Estonian folk culture and customs: it was believed that the knitted ornaments would bring luck and protect from evil. The mitten patterns show people’s aesthetic preferences, reflect influences from other cultures as well as tell a story of ancient times.

The exhibition introduces a small part of the over 5000 mittens in the collections of the Estonian National Museum. The displayed mittens are copies of the museum items, knitted by students and graduates of national handicrafts at the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy. The exhibition has been curated by Reet Piiri and designed by Merike Tamm.   

The exhibition has been organised in cooperation with the Estonian Embassy in Belgium and Luxembourg, the Estonian Ministry of Culture and the Walloon Region.

„Käevarjud. The history of Estonian mittens”

20.07-30.09.2010

Espace Wallonie

Rue de la Wallonie 19/21

7500 Tournai

Mo-Fr, 8:30-17:00