Magus uni (sweet slumber) is creeping up on this
karu (bear) at the 11th annual Pipar/koogi/maania (Gingerbread mania) exhibition in Tallinn. It's carrying a
kuusik (a forest of spruce trees) on its back. The theme of this year's exhibition is
METS (forest) and includes
lend/oravad (flying squirrels), an
ilves (lynx) complete with bow tie, a
sipelga/pesa (ant hill) and even a place for said bear to pass his/her
talveuni ("winter sleep", hibernation) – a
karu/koobas (bear cave). Where there are animals, there will be scat aka excrement (
välja/heide) – what has been expelled. The show features both "Karu kakab pohli" ("Bears poo lingonberries"), as well as
jänese/pabulad (bunny beans) on snow, all made of
pipar/koogi/tainas (gingerbread dough). This reclining bear was created by Nestor Ljutjuk and FYI: there are 1672 people in Estonia with the last name Karu and 1445 with the surname Mets. (Source: Estonia's e-services state portal eesti.ee)
Biosphere meets cybersphere. The only work of art at the Piparkoogimaania show not made of gingerbread was created with the help of electronic communication. Called
Itsitav puu (Giggling Tree) and created by musician Taavi Tulev and his son Albert, you are instructed to
Pigista käbi!(Squeeze a pine cone).
"Selle peale hakkab naeru kostma"[i] – "Then you will hear laughter”. Every wire-enveloped [i]käbi you hold in your hand triggers a different kind of laughing sound, all belonging to children. Definitely the feel-good hit of the exhibition –
tuju/tõstja. Photos and text: Riina Kindlam, Tallinn.
