Quantum est in libris delves into the meeting point between the archaic and the modern. On one side are handwritten materials from the Estonian National Museum’s archive, over a century old, documenting the lived experiences of Estonian people. On the other side is technology that transforms these materials into a dynamic and interactive experience. The visitor serves as a vital link between the past and the digital: their interaction turns archival texts into inputs for a sculptural screen, where historical narratives come alive through the language of contemporary technology.

As the Gen-3 and Gen-4 AI models used in the installation had not previously been exposed to Estonian heritage, we witness how machines “read the world” today. Quantum est in libris opens up a new, fascinating, and sometimes uncomfortable dimension of cultural heritage: in a world where data is fluid and interpretation unstable, heritage becomes fragile.

In the digital environment, heritage is no longer just about preservation and transmission; it also raises questions about the mediatization of memory, machine creativity, and the risk of interpretative error. Who, what, and in what ways shape memory processes and the space of memory?

The installation is part of the Estonian National Museum’s permanent exhibition Encounters.

Varvara & Mar (Varvara Guljajeva, PhD, and Mar Canet Sola) have been working together since 2009. Their practice is inspired by the social shifts of the digital age and exists at the crossroads of art, design, and technological experimentation. 

The installation was supported by the Estonian Literary Society and is part of the celebrations of the 500th anniversary of the Estonian Book.