Johanna & Katariin Mudist's 'Sisters have sisterhood' opens at ARS

In the exhibition "Sisters have sisterhood" ("Õdedel on õelus") the Mudists sisters share a gallery space for the first time and explore the relationships between siblings.
The exhibition's title is a play on words, the organizer say.
"In Estonian, there is a saying "vendadel on vendlus, õdedel on õelus", which roughly means that there is a friendship / brotherhood in between brothers and malice / sisterhood in between sisters. It's just a wordplay, since "õelus" means both malice and sisterhood," they write.
"Somehow the language has influenced the culture and if brothers are often seen as "shoulder to shoulder" companions then in sisterhood there is more concentration on the relations of conflict. Coming from this, there is a wish, that there would be a different word to describe sisterhood in Estonian; how to describe a brotherhood in between sisters?"
In the exhibition, Katariin and Johanna Mudist delve into what being a sister means to them and what they mean to each other; how the dynamics, care, and closeness of sisterly relationships look and develop. In the exhibition space, however, they also seek a broader meaning of the word "sister."
In a wider cultural context, "sister" also simply refers to another close woman, a friend, a community member, or a relative. Therefore, the artists direct the viewer's gaze towards the phenomenon of 'sisters and malice' in a broader cultural context.
Sisters have sisterhood" ("Õdedel on õelus") is on display at the ARS Project Space until August 10.
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Editor: Karmen Rebane, Helen Wright