CATALOG #23, ‘Articulated Models’ by Ott Metusala

Catalog is a serial publication about cataloging edited by Lieven Lahaye and designed by Ott Metusala. Issue 23, ‘Articulated Models’, is published in support of an exhibition by Ott Metusala at the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design in Tallinn, September 2023.

‘Articulated Models’ is a messy catalog of archival and contemporary material relating to the work of Kirsti Metusala at Tallinn Experimental Plant Estoplast, a factory that produced lighting fixtures for the modern Soviet Estonian household. Its contents—technical drawings, promotional materials, newspaper images, photos from online classified ads, sketches, models, and renderings—were collected, continued, remade and reimagined by Ott Metusala as part of an ongoing project that began in 2022. On the basis of collected material, ‘Articulated Models’ remodels, remakes and expands on the production of Estoplast.

Ott Metusala (b. 1988, Estonia) is a graphic designer with a focus on typography, book design and publishing. In addition to various self-initiated and commissioned projects, he is also co-managing the Bookbinding Workshop at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie. He previously edited and designed ‘Nobody Expected There Would Be Much Discussion About It’ (Lugemik and ETDM, 2016), a comprehensive catalog of all lamps designed by Kirsti Metusala (b. 1937, Estonia) at Estoplast.

Lieven Lahaye (b. 1985, Belgium) is an artist and publisher, interested in the value of ephemeral information and amateur practices. He produces printed matter, texts, objects and performances with the aim of cataloging, reactivating, highlighting and sharing information.