The Dance of Seahorses in the History Museum

In the heart of Tallinn’s Old Town, within the Great Guild Hall, lies a unique exhibition showcasing the story of Tanel Veenre’s seahorses. At the Estonian History Museum’s Christmas exhibition, visitors can witness a world where creations featuring dragon motifs designed by Astrid Tiitsu for Nikolai Langebraun’s porcelain factory in the 1930s meet seahorse jewellery and porcelain pieces crafted by Tanel Veenre between 2002 and 2024. This enchanting display marks the end of the Year of the Dragon.

A table draped in red velvet serves as the perfect catwalk for bold seahorses

The exhibition, curated by Anne Ruussaar, exudes a delicate exoticism and even a surreal touch. The dynamic interplay of twisting animal motifs evokes visions of Eastern dance performances. Tanel Veenre aimed to emphasise the Art Deco-inspired contrast of red and black with a velvety salon-like atmosphere in the exhibition design. A key reference for him was the otherworldly Red Room from David Lynch’s cult series Twin Peaks, with its strikingly red decor. Adding a playful nod to Christmas, black carousels spinning on the table showcase a selection of seahorse jewelry.

The “Sun King” porcelain series, which served as the initial spark for the curator’s vision, is displayed in its full glory. Pieces from private collections, including long-sold-out colors, have found their way to the exhibition table.

For this showcase, Tanel opened his archives and gathered all creations featuring seahorses. Although most of the jewellery previously exhibited in galleries is now scattered across private collections and galleries worldwide, the display remains rich and varied. In addition to porcelain items and unique jewellery pieces, the exhibition includes experimental projects like 3D-printed bags, silk items, and brooches. Among the more curious finds are a Salvador Dalí-inspired mask made from real seahorses and a gold-plated silver spoon.

22 Years of Seahorse Dance in Tanel Veenre's Creations

How did Tanel’s love affair with seahorses begin? To answer that, we must travel back to 2002 when Tanel, a young journalist, found himself in Singapore. As a master’s student at the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA), Tanel was captivated by the aesthetics of curiosity cabinets. A serendipitous visit to a traditional Chinese medicine shop further fueled his fascination.

Walls lined with shelves of the most peculiar “remedies”—from shark fins to turtle eyes—and an ocean of dried herbs hanging from the ceiling created a surreal scene. Among them stood a massive jar filled with dried seahorses. Intrigued, Tanel asked for some to be weighed and packaged. Upon returning home, the seahorses quickly made their way into his creations, debuting during the defense of his master’s thesis.

One delightful brooch from this series, Princess, is part of the History Museum exhibition. It embodies the genesis of Tanel’s enduring connection to these elegant marine creatures.

The Langebraun porcelain on display belongs to the private collection of Priidu Nõmm.

The exhibition “Langebraun – Veenre: Dragons and Seahorses” is open at the Great Guild Hall until January 5.

The exhibition had not one but two openings to accommodate all the fans of Langebraun and seahorses.

Photos by: Vahur Lõhmus (Estonian History Museum)