"Lifesaver" Installation

The purpose of "Lifesaver" is to open an important field in modern science – genetics – in the symbiosis of art and science. By now, this branch of science has achieved great significance internationally, since it is connected to various fields of science and life, such as personal medicine, archaeology and mental health. In Estonia, the knowledge of genetics in society has increased due to the work of the University of Tartu's Estonian Biobank, which has been joined by one-fifth of the adult population of Estonia.

"While an artist usually explores their inner world, I am primarily interested in understanding the world outside of me. In the creation of the work, researchers, from whom the necessary raw data comes and who help validate reality, are collaborating with school students, who help to select more effective visuals, soundscapes or technologies."

Valdek Laur

Idea Competition Winner

The artist of the 'Lifesaver' project is Valdek Laur, who works in the field of digital media and jewellery and metal art and is interested in scientific communication and the visualisation of complex concepts and data sets.

According to Mary-Ann Talvistu, member of the jury, art researcher and freelance curator, Valdek Laur's scientific communication covers various approaches from popular science to science fiction. "He has a clear interest in collaborating with geneticists to create a science-driven artwork for Toomemägi. He also considered co-creation with young people to be important, who are one of the sharpest focus groups in the creation of the work," added Talvistu.

Involvement of School Students in the Preparation of the Installation

The important keywords of the idea competition were co-creation and the involvement of various parties. Therefore, to create the concept of installation and develop its interactivity, the artist had to collaborate with representatives of the museum, researchers and basic school students.

The University of Tartu Museum organised a project week in April 2023 for collaboration purposes, during which students from Tartu Kivilinna School went to the University of Tartu Estonian Biobank and the University of Tartu Museum to gather knowledge. In cooperation with Valdek Laur, the students created fantasy projects combining science and art, which were exhibited in the summer of 2023 in the temporary exhibition hall of the University of Tartu Museum.

Toomemägi Revisited

The „Lifesaver" installation is part of the project 'Toomemägi Revisited' within the main programme of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024, bringing the historical heart of Tartu to life with the help of light, culture and science. Toomemägi's regional characteristics have developed over the centuries. In the Middle Ages, the heart of the city was located here. The University of Tartu, situated nearby, has been a symbol of both Tartu and Estonia for four centuries. Today, Toomemägi is a quiet park in the city centre of Tartu; however, many more people could take part in the exciting story of this place. Let us open the rich cultural and scientific heritage of Tartu and its people in a modern way and bring life to the hill again! Come and see for yourself that Toomemägi is worth discovering – both during the day and in the evening!

The project is supported by SA Tartu 2024 and the Estonian Research Council.