At Valga’s central square, Maret Sarapu’s mosaic was opened on July 21, 2026 – a work that will hopefully bring joy to passersby for a long time to come.

Maret writes about her work:
“Arriving in Valga, I wanted to create a mosaic that reflects something essential about the town. I thought about the kinds of plants that might grow in local gardens. I also wanted to use as much leftover material as possible and to show both simplicity and beauty within the materials themselves. During the first weeks, I cycled around a lot, searching for both the location and the content of the piece. At the same time, I was discovering the town itself.
My first impression of Valga was unexpectedly bright and joyful. The Pedeli River, blooming gardens with pruned apple trees – yes, many empty buildings, but some of them grand and beautiful, like monuments. Later, I also noticed the emptiness, sadness, and uncertainty that exist in the urban space, but I chose to create the mosaic based on that first encounter – a moment when the world felt generous.

I captured this mood in two short poems:

Lilac
Apple blossom
Warm wind from behind the hill
How lucky I am
Again

When
Was the last time
You felt euphoric about the weather
The bicycle rolls downhill
On its own

The mosaic is an attempt to preserve that initial sense of wonder – the moment when a city opens itself through light, blossoms, and movement. The work incorporates old ceramic tiles, fragments of brick and asphalt, and colored glass.”

Many thanks to Kaarel Narro for assistance with the installation!
Photos by Nika Gabiskiria.
The project was supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture and the Estonian Cultural Endowment.
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