Permanent exhibition

Mare Mikof
Maanaised (Women from the Countryside)
1974
Bronze sculpture

“Maanaised” (“Women from the Countryside”) is an intriguing complement to the two figure  sculpture group “Father and Son”, of which the author is Ülo Õun. Duos, happened to be a common motif among Tartu public sculptures, considering also Mati Karmin’s “Kissing Students” in the vicinity of “Women from the Countryside”.

The sculpture group made in the 1970s was exceptional because of its realistic style. It depicts two women, the older is sitting with a grounding calmness and the other, younger, gracefully standing by her side, arm emphatically holding  draped over her shoulder. The generational distinction is expressed strongly in the clothing of the women – the younger is wearing trousers, light vest and platform shoes but the older a dress and an apron, leaving the feet uncovered.

Mounting the sculpture group “Women from the Countryside”  signified Tartu Art Museum’s 25 years of activity in the “Leaning House”.

Mare Mikof (b 1941) is one of the most significant contemporary sculptors. Being influenced by hyperrealism and pop art, Mikof started her creative  work in the seventies. Mikof has created numerous portraits, compositions and decorative sculptures during her extensive career over fourty years. In 1984, she was honoured with the Kristjan Raud prize, in 1988 Riga’s quadrennial’s grand prix. Mikof has also created many well-known public sculptures: sculpture group  to signify 100 000 people in Tartu (1977) in the vicinity of the Kaarsild in Tartu, “Dusk” in front of the Viru Center, Tallinn  (2005) and many more.