Kaarel
A gay man, age 65
Keys […] unlock things and life. […] This is the key to the apartment in Tartu […] It has a lot of beautiful memories.[…] And the other key is the farmhouse that I bought 12 years ago.[…] A dream come true![…] And the third key is a new apartment in Tartu, because the old one was too small for the two of us. We are now preparing for life as two [with my companion of 27 years] […] Of course, the final key that unites them all is my car, which is my freedom. To move anywhere.
But when I started looking for something [to leave behind], I found that I don’t have anything left [from the Soviet time] in the country house where I now live. Everything around me, every detail, is already from the new time of dreams, things from other countries. I thought I could bring this angular glass that used to be in every diner, everywhere—stakan! Vodka was also served from such glasses. But I simply forgot it.
About the project in Estonia
The photographed objects were brought to the group interview by the research participants. These objects symbolised something to leave behind and something to bring to the future. The stories are excerpts from the interviews.
Photos: Alana Proosa
