On October 10, 2025, the University of Tartu Museum will host a symposium “Meelis and Vjatško: Anatomy of a Myth”, which will give meaning to the controversial story of this ideological monument.
The exhibition “Invisible Tartu. 800 years since the city’s beginnings” at the University of Tartu Museum has once again brought to light the story of Meelis and Vjatško, which had been forgotten for a while, in Enn Kippel’s book “Meelis” (1941). By now, the once popular youth story is receding from the lists of compulsory and recommended literature for schoolchildren. The sculpture “Vjatško of Polotsk and son of Lembitu Meelis in the defense of Tartu in 1224”, created by sculptor Olav Männi in 1950 and only erected on Kassitoome in 1980, also stands largely forgotten on the corner of Kassitoome Park in Tartu on Oru Street. However, the controversies that have erupted over the red monuments in recent years have brought this figure back to mind. There have also been calls to remove the monument.
The writer Kippel’s story about the friendship and cooperation between the historical figure of the Polotsk prince Vyatsko (Vetseke) and the fictional character Meelis, son of Lembitu, in the defense of Tartu in 1224 was supposed to confirm the historical friendship and ties between the Estonian and Russian people. The story, which suited the Soviet regime, was published in numerous reprints, and its characters were depicted in illustrations of both Kippel’s story and history books and textbooks, etc. By placing the story of Meelis and Vyatsko at the center of the exhibition “Invisible Tartu” in the educational and discussion space, the museum shows how the interaction of this story, characters, and sculpture provides an opportunity to analyze the formation of a myth. The birth of a myth and its reproduction and amplification in different genres create good opportunities to discuss the use and exploitation of history, to explore different versions and characters from the early history of Tartu, as well as the role of sculpture and art in public space, and opportunities to cope with the legacy that carries the ideology of a foreign power. By addressing all of these questions using the example of Meelis and Vyachko, our goal is to develop critical thinking and visual literacy.
The event is organized by the University of Tartu Museum and the joint project “New Frames for the Monument” of the Estonian Academy of Arts and Tallinn University. The event is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
Symposium program:
10.30 Marge Konsa, Tiiu Kreegipuu, Mariann Raisma – Tour of the exhibition “Invisible Tartu. 800 years since the city began”
11.15 Introduction and opening remarks – Rector of the Estonian Academy of Arts Hilkka Hiiop, Vice-Rector for Development of the University of Tartu Tõnu Esko, Director of the University of Tartu Museum Mariann Raisma
11.30–11.45 Anti Selart (UT) – Changes in the Reception of the Middle Ages through the 20th Century
Session I – Meelis and Vjatško in History
11.45–12.00 Mihkel Mäesalu (UT) – Political Background of the Conquest of Tartu (1224)
12.00–12.15 Ain Mäesalu (UT) – Who was Vetseke?
12.15–12.30 Discussion – moderated by Anti Selart
Session II – Meelis and Vjatško in Literary History and in art history
12.45–13.00 Johanna Ross (TU) – “Meelis” as a Soviet youth story
13.00–13.15 Mari-Liis Krautmann (EKM) – Illustrations of “Meelis”
13.15–13.30 Kädi Talvoja (EKA) – Olav Männi in the shadow of his diploma thesis
13.30–13.45 Discussion – moderated by Linda Kaljundi (EKA)
14.00–15.00 Lunch – if the weather is nice, a picnic with a tour of the Tartu Castle
Session III – Meelis and Vjatško in memory
15.00–15.15 Kristo Nurmis (TU) – “Meelis” against the background of Stalinist national politics
15.15–15.30 Rasmus Kagge – “Meelis” propaganda during the Soviet era
15.30–15.45 Urmas Klaas (City of Tartu) – Meelis, Vjatško and us – cultural memory
15.45–16.00 Mariann Raisma – Tour of the discussion room at the exhibition “Invisible Tartu. 800 years since the city’s beginnings”
Session IV – Meelis and Vjatško in contemporary art
16.00–16.15 Kirke Kangro (EKA) – Re-contextualizing Soviet-era monuments
16.15–17.00 Discussion (in English) on the topic Digital art rethinking Meelis and Vjatško
– Ülo Pikkov (EKA), Kirke Kangro, Camille Laurelli, Yiyang Sun et al. Moderated by Linda Kaljundi
17.00 Walk to the monument
Participation in the symposium is free, but please register HERE no later than October 3.