Opinion: In defence of Alma Ostra-Oinas and her swirling skirts in Estonia

Writer Merlin Kirikal argues that a sculpture dedicated to Estonian artist Alma Ostra-Oinas could offer a meaningful refuge amid troubled times. The piece reflects on the value of cultural memory and public art in Estonia. Kirikal suggests the figure of Ostra-Oinas, evoked through the image of a woollen skirt, deserves recognition in public space.

In a new opinion piece published in Olevik, Estonian writer Merlin Kirikal makes a passionate case for honouring the memory of Alma Ostra-Oinas — a figure from Estonian cultural history — through a dedicated public sculpture.

Kirikal paints the present moment as deeply unsettling, yet argues that art and cultural memory can offer something firm to hold onto. In her vision, a sculpture of Ostra-Oinas would not merely commemorate a historical personality, but become a genuine gathering point — a place where people might feel sheltered and at ease, as if standing in the shadow of a familiar woollen skirt.

The image of the swirling skirt runs through Kirikal's argument as a symbol of warmth, continuity, and belonging. Rather than grand civic monuments that speak to power, she advocates for public art that speaks to human experience — pieces that invite people to linger, to remember, and to feel less alone in difficult times.

The essay touches on a broader question about whose stories are told in Estonian public space and which figures from the country's cultural heritage remain without lasting physical tribute. For Kirikal, Alma Ostra-Oinas represents exactly the kind of person whose legacy deserves to be made visible and tangible.