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Narva – Voices at the Border (Overview)

An artistic condensation of real discourses

“Who belongs to Estonia?”

“Narva is not just a city. Narva is a question.” * Here you find voices of people standing between language, politics, and identity. Click on an image or title to read the full dialogues. Note: The dialogues are freely inspired by real statements – based on media reports and created in collaboration with AI (Noyan / ChatGPT 5 | Euras / LeChat, 2025) as fictionalized conversations.

Voice 01 – Partition Wall 01: Politician & Resident: “You create the division you fear.” — A dialogue about belonging, security, and the question of who truly owns Estonia.

Voice 02 – Nevertheless, Every Day 02: Teacher from Narva: “What have we gained if we raise a generation that feels ashamed?” — A teacher torn between duty and empathy – on integration, loss, and responsibility.

Voice 03 – Unreachable 03: Student Maksim: “Why am I not allowed to be myself?” — A 16-year-old about language, identity, and the silence of a generation.

Voice 04 – Speechless 04: Mother Jelena: “The school has taken my child away.” — A family caught between two languages – and the cost of adaptation.

Voice 05 – Orientation 05: Young Adult – Anna: “I want a future, but where?” — A young woman between departure, family, and the question of where the future begins.

Voice 06 – Old House 06: Senior Residents and their Memories: “I have seen Narva change.” — An older inhabitant on memory, loss, and staying in a city that keeps transforming.

Voice 07 – Dreams and Roots 07: Young Adult – Dimitri: “I stay – because someone has to stay.” — A young man on responsibility, hope, and belonging in Narva.

Voice 08 – Overpower 08: Economic Development & Labor Market: “We need opportunities.” — A former factory worker on change, migration, and the search for renewed trust.

Voice 09 – Withheld 09: Health & Social Care: “We need support.” — A nurse speaking about closeness, overload, and quiet work at the margins.

Voice 10 – Close Examination 10: Environment & Sustainability: “We need a clean future.” — A young urban environmental planner on responsibility, old burdens, and the slow work of renewal.

Voice 01 – Echo 11: Alternative – Student Maksim: “Why am I not allowed to be myself?” — A 16-year-old caught between two homelands – between language, belonging, and silence.

*The project* “Narva – Voices at the Border” *is based on a curatorial concept of artistic-ethical field research.* It combines documentary inquiry with fictional condensation – an attempt to make empathy between divided perspectives perceptible, without claiming journalistic authority. → Download Project Concept Document

Introduction | How the Voices Were Created | On Collaboration with AI