Pärnu exhibition traces fate of Finnish islands ceded to the Soviet Union

A new exhibition at the Pärnu Museum of New Art (MONA) in Estonia, "Lost Islands", looks at Suursaari and other Finnish islands in the Gulf of Finland through photographs and memories. The islands passed to the Soviet Union after the Winter War, in which Finland fought the Soviets, and they remain under Russian rule today.

The show presents photographs and archival footage by Finnish photographer Juha Metso. They document the islands' landscapes, present-day residents and the traces of their Finnish past. Between 1999 and 2019, Metso visited Suursaari (Gogland) seven times, and the smaller nearby islands of Tytärsaari (Bolshoi Tyuters), Lavansaari (Moshchny) and Seiskari (Seskar) once each.

Finnish archipelago culture

Before the wars, Finnish archipelago culture flourished on the islands. Locals made their living from the sea and traded with Estonians. Suursaari was also a popular summer destination: its community had around 1,000 people, and thousands of visitors came, among them artists and writers.

The islands' civilian populations were evacuated shortly before the Winter War. The evacuation became permanent when Finland lost the islands to the Soviet Union.

Inspiration and memories

The MONA exhibition combines Metso's Suursaari photographs with video interviews with former island residents and archival material from Finland and Estonia. It also includes works by Estonian artists inspired by Suursaari.

Together, the works tell the story of the islands themselves, as well as the longing for a place that can no longer be visited, since the islands remain under Russian rule. "Lost Islands" is open at MONA through January 10.