Exhibition as an Art Historical Tool: Bold and Beautiful: Estonian Private Houses from the 1980s

Abstract

This article explores the making of a practice-based research exhibition as a case study in curating recent architectural heritage. Set against the backdrop of 1980s postmodern private house architecture in Estonia, it investigates how exhibitions can serve as tools for research and heritage-making. The article unpacks the research context of the exhibition, examines the iterative curatorial process and methodologies, and introduces the exhibition’s design, content with a selection of exhibits. A significant aspect of the project was its touring function, which took the exhibition to multiple Estonian cities, gathering visitor survey responses, identifying potential interviewees, and subtly reshaping the public image of postmodern residential architecture. Initial results from questionnaires, curatorial tours, and interview film material indicate the exhibition’s effectiveness as a research tool. Drawing on the author’s dual position as curator and researcher, the article reflects on curatorial work as a form of self-reflective practice-based research, situated between the roles of creative practitioner, architectural historian, and heritage specialist.