PLAYFUL CITY:
MARIANN DRELL & SANDRA MIRKA (EE)

installation programme

PLAYFUL CITY / August 13-17

With the theme "Playful City", the 2025 festival invites you to discover the playful side of the urban environment. Play isn’t only for children – it’s a vital part of adult life too, nourishing our bodies, minds, and human relationships. Play in urban space brings freshness to routine, encourages spontaneous encounters, and sparks creativity. Eight artists and collectives from Estonia and beyond will create installations inspired by the theme "Playful City", spread throughout the town.

photo: private collection

Mariann Drell & Sandra Mirka (EE)

AIVO, ERKI & RENE

Location: in between Mõisavahe 38 and 39

August 13, 15.00-20.00

August 14-17, 12.00-20.00

The installation is composed of 80 reclaimed cargo straps, sourced from diverse locations – the parking lots of the Maardu and Saku breweries, and the Pääsküla garage complex.

Aivo, Erik and Rene offers, above all, a reflection on the spirit of place and the ways we idealise it, embodied in the interplay between pull and tension. The concept emerged from a wish to enhance and animate what is already present. The site is far from empty; it is already alive with encounters, activities and its own culture. This work adds another layer, inviting both observation and participation. Its ambition is to remain unpretentious, welcoming and easily adaptable, amplifying the energy of communal gathering.

The vivid colours of the straps draw the eye to a familiar corner, a spot usually used for carpet beating or climbing. Here, however, the piece offers a pause, a chance to sway with Annelinn’s rhythm or to drink until the strap snaps.

We kindly ask you not to overload the piece – the structure can hold a maximum of 3 people. The cargo straps are living their second life here, so they may be a bit dirty and could stain clothing.

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Mariann Drell (b. 1995) is an interior architect, project manager, strategist, 35mm film photographer, and a passionate thrifter and dumpster diver. Her spatial work centers on reimagining existing resources, both physically and mentally, and on discovering new, often humorous possibilities within the built environment.

Sandra Mirka (b. 1992) is both an observer and a creator, working across several creative fields including interior architecture, furniture design, and cooking.
She is intrigued by cultural and curious encounters in space and finds inspiration in giving new value to leftovers—whether in objects or in food. For Sandra, creativity and meaning are deeply connected, whether she's shaping a space or preparing a meal.

The project is supported by the City of Tartu and the Estonian Cultural Endowment.