On February 15 2025, artist Olga Jürgenson opened a multimedia installation, telling the intricate story of her family. The exhibition “To Return to Toila” will be open until April 27.
The work is based on the artist’s personal research into the fate of her ancestors – how Estonian settlers found success in Russia, only to lose everything in the turmoil of revolution. The installation highlights the dilemmas and choices the family faced: where to belong and which land to call home.
Olga Jürgenson shared the background of the installation and delved deeper into her story in the following interview.
Interviewer:
Olga, please tell us about your journey to Russia.
Olga Jürgenson:
In 2022, when the war began, I decided to take a very important step for myself – to go to Russia, to the place where my father was born. He was born in the village of Smorodina in the Ulyanovsk region. For me, it was essential to see this place with my own eyes and to be in the land where my ancestors once lived. I didn’t know what to expect from this trip, but it turned out to be a very emotional experience. Already on the bus to Smorodina, I started a conversation with a woman sitting next to me. It was unexpected but deeply meaningful. It turned out that she, too, was a descendant of Estonians whose family had once settled in that region. She told me about the people who had remained there and the fate intertwined with Russia’s history. That day was truly special for me.
Interviewer:
Did this trip spark your interest in further research in archives?
Olga Jürgenson:
Yes, it became the catalyst for thorough research. I began working with both Estonian and Russian archives, studying the history of migration and local architecture. Through my searches, I discovered that my ancestors left Estonia in 1869. They founded a village, began cultivating the land, and gradually built their lives. This was a time when peasants received passports and gained greater freedom to move around Russia.
Interviewer:
How did life in the village develop?
Olga Jürgenson:
The village grew and flourished. My grandmother lived there. The place where she lived is still called Red Village. I learned that initially, my ancestors rented land, but later they managed to purchase it outright. They were hardworking people, and their household prospered. However, after the 1917 Revolution, everything changed. In the 1920s, many Estonians faced a difficult decision: whether to stay in Russia or return to Estonia, which had gained independence. My great-grandfather Eduard Jürgenson applied for Estonian citizenship, but the process was complicated, leaving the family’s future uncertain.
Interviewer:
How did historical events impact your family?
Olga Jürgenson:
Unfortunately, very profoundly. Those years were filled with wars and political changes. After the revolution came War Communism, then collectivization and repression. In 1929, collectivization began, and in 1937, mass repressions followed. Many families, including mine, found themselves in an extremely difficult situation. I found documents proving that my ancestors were wealthy and successful – they worked hard, developed their farm, and helped others. But despite this, their fate depended entirely on government decisions.
Interviewer:
Were you able to find documents related to your family?
Olga Jürgenson:
Yes, two weeks before my trip, I found letters from relatives, old photographs, and important documents. Some of these photos date back to the 19th century. They helped me better understand how my ancestors lived, who they were, and what they did. In 2020, I discovered my great-grandfather’s citizenship application and his personal file. The Soviet archives contain many documents that allowed me to reconstruct crucial details of his life. From church records, I learned that he left home at just 15 years old. By 1937, he had already risen to a high-ranking position.
Interviewer:
Did you uncover any unexpected facts or stories?
Olga Jürgenson:
During my research, I came across references to the Baltic Fleet and its role in my great-grandfather’s life. In 1938, he was among the organizers of a significant event. I also found archival lists of emigrants. Over three years, people were gathered from all over Russia – from rural peasants to industrial workers. These lists recorded men who were granted visas or whose fate was decided – whether they were to leave or be drafted into the military. These documents mapped out people’s lives in a way.
Interviewer:
Your work often features graphic elements and handwritten text. Why is this important to you?
Olga Jürgenson:
I enjoy working with graphic materials. Nowadays, handwriting is rare, but handwritten text gives artworks a personal and vibrant character. The documents I found are so beautiful in their own right that I decided to preserve them in their original form – in black and white, without excessive additions.
Interviewer:
Your exhibition frequently includes the motif of birds. What does this symbolize for you?
Olga Jürgenson:
Birds always return home. At one point, I realized that my life mirrors theirs. My relatives’ fate depended on decisions made far from their homes. They were forced to leave their places of origin and later had to find ways to return – or at least to preserve the memory of them.
Interviewer:
What memories and stories have been passed down in your family?
Olga Jürgenson:
For example, there was a story about hidden gold. It was said that somewhere there was a chest filled with valuable items, but no one had ever found it. Of course, this is just a legend, but it illustrates how people clung to hope and valued what they had.
Interviewer:
What is the main message of your exhibition?
Olga Jürgenson:
People move, destinies change, but memory remains. For me, it is important to show how the past intertwines with the present, how our ancestors’ stories stay with us, even if we are not always consciously aware of them.
