Vikipeedia:GLAM/Even sunrays don’t reach this place/1

About

"Even sunrays don’t reach this place“. This is how the photographer and photo journalist Hans Soosaar (1903–1961) described Jüri's home who lived on Köie Street. As one of the first professional photo journalists in Estonia, Soosaar has been fortunate and unfortunate enough to capture life under various power regimes. His photos can be seen on the columns of Rahvaleht (The People's Magazine), Noorte Hääl (the Young People's Voice), the Revaler Zeitung, Rahva Hääl (the People's Voice) and others. His photo lens has seen the colorful balls of the Estonia Theater, people executed at the Klooga Concentration Camp, but also the simple life in the residential areas during the first Republic of Estonia.

At the end of the 1920s, Soosaar walked on the streets of Kalamaja and Põhja-Tallinn, and recorded the meeger living conditions of Tallinners. It is not known why this photographer, who was just at the beginning of his career, decided to photograph the homes of those with low-income and the unemployed. [1]. Although the press at the time chose to remain silent on issues that would cast a shadow on the image of the young republic, Soosaar fortunately did not follow this tactics of disregard. [2]

On the streets of Kalamaja you have the opportunity to see 10 photos of Soosaar's apartment depictive photo series dating back to the 1920s. The photos come with detailed descriptions of the life of the inhabitants, the texts originating from the back of the photos. The pictures are placed in front of the same houses that Soosaar captured over 90 years ago. If the house has been demolished, the photo display can be found as near as possible. Soosaar’s photos bring the inhabitants captured on the photos from their damp, dark apartments onto the streets filled with autumn light Soosaar’s photos, placed on the streets of their homes, bring people living in dreadful and humble conditions out of the shadows into the autumn light. Please take a moment from your day and have a look.

Tallinn City Museum's Kalamaja Museum’s Exhibition Where Even Sunrays Will Not Reach

Hans Soosaar's photo series of the meeger living quarters of North Tallinn

Kalamaja streets: Kotzebue 16, Tööstuse 4 and 26, Vabriku 6, Kesk- Kalamaja 11, Võrgu 25, Küti 15, Väike-Patarei 2 and 11, Suur-Patarei 10. The exact locations of the photo stands can be found at: www.linnamuuseum.ee/kalamaja Curator Laura Jamsja Consultants Kristi Paatsi, Aap Tepper, Tuuli Silber Artist Lilian Juhkam Photo sources: Estonian History Museum, Tallinn City Archives, Photo Museum The exhibition is open from 4th of October up to 3rd of November 2019. The exhibition is part of the Tallinn Photo Month '19 satellite program. City tours take place on the 3rd of October at 7 p.m., 19th of October at 1 pm and on the 1st of November at 7 p.m. The starting point of the tours is from the stairs of the Kalamaja Museum (Kotzebue 16).

Special thanks goes to: representatives of the Kalamaja Apartments Association, Sille Kima, Joel Leis, Indrek Hinrikus, Andres Lall, Sirje Pallo, Kadri Toomsalu, Tanel Verk, Anneli Jalava, Jaak Juske