Estonian art under Communism (Part 1) Before World War II, the city of Tartu (Dorpat) had been the cultural and educational center of Estonia, just as the capital city of Tallinn was the political and financial center. Tartu had been the site of the only Estonian art academy, the Art School “Pallas,” established in 1919. Teaching at the school was based on the individual studio principle and represented almost all contemporary trends, with the exception of Surrealism. By the 1950s, however, most of the modern “isms” had faded and the predominant approach was that of the School of Paris. By this time, “Pallas” had developed its own style characterized by loose brushwork, tightly knit compositions, and a strong interest in color/light relationships. The intense creative activity during the years of Estonian independence (191 8-40) was called to a sudden halt by the Soviet invasion in the summer of 1940 resulting from the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. Estonia became incorporated as one of the “republics” of the U.S.S.R., with the consequent loss of all essential liberties. Sovietization of the country had started. From that point forward, artistic activity was directed toward the service of the Communist Party, the main task being the promotion and embellishment of Party festivals and parades with paintings, posters, and slogans. A severe blow to the visual arts was the closing of “Pallas,” which was then reorganized into a state institution with the new name “The Art School of Konrad Magi,” after the school’s first director. The new curriculum stressed the teaching of Communist subjects, such as Marxist philosophy and the history of the Communist Party. The first stage of the Soviet occupation ended with the outbreak of war between Germany and the U.S.S.R. in the summer of 1941. The Baltic states were quickly overrun and occupied by the Germans from 1941 to 1944. Since the German military forces were not particularly interested in changing the cultural or educational life of Estonia, the Estonians themselves sought to eliminate Communist influences and every effort was made to re-create the prewar conditions. The former Art School “Pallas” was reestablished, although its main activity during the war was to offer short-term courses. The artistic community suffered greatly during this period. Already by 1941 many of the left-wing artists (e.g., Aino Bach, Eric Adamson) had fled to the U.S.S.R. During the German occupation, many right-wing artists escaped to the West if they could (e.g., Eduard Wiiralt, Agaate Veber, Eduard Ruga, Hairy Haamer). Thus, by the end of the war, a once-vital artistic community had shrunk considerably and was gravely weakened. The Soviet reoccupation of Estonia, beginnning in 1944 and lasting almost fifty years, brought about further significant changes. For instance, the Art School “Pallas” was yet again closed and subsequently reorganized into the State Art Institute of Tartu. Then, in 1951, the school was moved to Tallinn since Soviet policy was to establish a strong central government in the capital city. The removal of the art school was only the first blow to Tartu, as various restrictions were soon imposed on the city and its venerable university. Gradually the independent spirit of Tartu was broken and the war-ravaged city sank into provincial obscurity. When the former art school of Tartu was relocated to Tallinn, it was united with the State School of Applied Art to form the Estonian State Art Institute. This new institution had two faculties or divisions: first, the faculty of studio and applied arts, with departments of painting (including set design), sculpture, printmaking (subdivided into graphic art, commercial art, poster art, and book design), ceramics, and design (in glass, metal, leather, textiles, and fashion); and, second, the faculty of architecture (with subdivisions in furniture and interior design) and industrial art. Also in Tallinn was the Experimental Graphic Studio, which had been established in 1947 as a practical necessity to assist graphic artists faced with a shortage of materials and printing presses. The studio provided its members with presses, materials, studio space, and the assistance of a technician. The development of this program was slow in the beginning, but by the end of the 1950s the Studio had become a first-rate institution and a place for creative work and discussion. (Olga Berendsen)
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 11:10:55 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015