Through hardships to the stars

Travelling exhibition of the University of Tartu “Through hardships to the stars” allows people in five Estonian cities to get to know the stories of people connected to the university who have dared to take risks and face failure and showed determination in reaching for the stars. The exhibition created in cooperation with the University of Tartu Museum was opened today, 18 May, in Tallinn Telliskivi Creative City. From June, it will move on to Viljandi, Pärnu, Narva and Tartu.

The outdoor exhibition presents a dozen stories that tell us how mistakes and failures have given rise to outstanding ideas. These stories prove that coping with setbacks is a natural part of life, and difficulties are often inevitable before achieving success. “With this exhibition, we would like to draw attention to the widespread misconception that one should always succeed at the first try when pursuing their goals,” said Marleen Otsus, Senior Specialist for Marketing of the University of Tartu.

The travelling exhibition has been inspired by this year’s brand and admission campaign of the University of Tartu and the wish to encourage prospective students to overcome the fear of failure and continue to work hard towards their goals. The exhibition features exciting facts about the lives of researchers and cultural figures known from Estonian history – among others, the heroes of the exhibition are Anton Hansen Tammsaare, Georg Friedrich Parrot, Juri Lotman, Liidia Poska-Teiss and Artur Lind.

According to Terje Lõbu, curator of the University of Tartu Museum, the exhibition aims to encourage people of all ages to continue their studies. “One should not lose heart if their previous schooling has not progressed too smoothly or if their life has been paved with hardships. It is never too late to learn, as education is a precious asset that no one can take away from us,” said Lõbu.

The exhibition is in Estonian and English and can be visited free of charge in five Estonian cities where the University of Tartu has a branch: Tallinn, Viljandi, Pärnu, Narva and Tartu.

The curators of the travelling exhibition “Through hardships to the stars” are Terje Lõbu and Lea Leppik from the University of Tartu Museum. Architect is Sander Paljak, graphic designer Kert Viiart and project managers Külli Lupkin, Marleen Otsus and Karl Vetemaa. The texts have been edited by Külli Pärtel and translated into English by Ann Kuslap and Merike Kala-Sikk.