A bronze cabbage-head bust arrives at the National Library
On 23 September, the portrait bust "Monument to Books Worn to Shreds" was brought directly from the foundry to the inner courtyard of the Estonian National Library. The work was placed on a concrete pedestal and will await final finishing before its opening later this year.
In Estonian, the expression "raamat on loetud kapsaks" is widely used. It literally means "the book has been read into a cabbage," and refers to a book that has been read so many times it becomes worn, soft and frayed. The cabbage‑head monument is a playful reference to this saying, symbolizing books that have been loved to the point of falling apart.
Authors Jass Kaselaan and Jenny Katri Elena Grönholm have created for the National Library a fully three‑dimensional monument that speaks of the book as a physical object that is opened and read again and again until it wears out. Yet through its stories and knowledge, a book also has a lasting impact on people and culture.
"The monument is a tribute to books as carriers through which stories, knowledge and imagination move forward in time," said one of the authors, artist Jass Kaselaan.
The bronze portrait bust is 140 centimetres tall, and together with the concrete pedestal the monument stands more than a metre taller than a person. The total height of the bust on its pedestal exceeds three metres.
According to the authors, an important part of the concept is the play with the classical monument and pedestal. The work deliberately uses a traditional and somewhat outdated monumental form, but alters its meaning.
The sculpture was selected in an art competition organized by Riigi Kinnisvara AS to find the most suitable artistic concept for the reconstructed inner courtyard of the Estonian National Library. The work will be opened at the end of 2026 after all necessary finishing work has been completed.
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Editor: kaspar Viilup, Argo Ideon
