Estonian Museum Exhibits Expat Women’s Stories

Why this is here: The exhibition features objects of sentimental value shared by expat women alongside artwork created using batik techniques and tie-dye coloring.

Ouddhena Teern, a curator and artist originally from Malaysia, opened an exhibition in Tallinn, Estonia, at the People’s Museum of Tallinn. The exhibit, titled “At the Threshold of In-Betweenness. All Roads Lead to Estonia,” explores themes of migration, identity, and belonging.

Teern, who arrived in Estonia in 2019, drew on her own experiences with language barriers and emotional isolation. She combined these with contributions from other expat women who shared stories, objects, and memories. The exhibit uses batik, mixed media, and tie-dye to visually represent feelings of love, sacrifice, and resilience.

The exhibition relies heavily on personal contributions from the women themselves, creating a shared narrative. The curator acknowledges that not all experiences are fully represented, and translating complex emotions into visual art presents ongoing challenges. The exhibition runs through September 6 at Pikk 29a in Tallinn’s Old Town.