Art Museum of Estonia
Kumu Art Museum
February 14 – August 08, 2020

The Kumu Art Museum hosts the exhibition Vello Vinn: Interreflections. The largest ever retrospective of the works of one of the most original Estonian graphic artists showcases the versatility and integrity of his oeuvre, displaying the imaginative imagery in Vinn’s prints, bookplates, illustrations and poster designs. The exhibition includes works by six younger artists who interact with Vello Vinn’s oeuvre through the means contemporary art.

The works of Vello Vinn (1939) form a noteworthy example of the oeuvre of an Estonian printmaker from the late 1960s and early 1970s, and they boast a holistic and emphatically unique image system. Vinn’s highly original visual world is grounded in his mastery of various printmaking techniques, delicate treatment of images and witty associations. Besides playful images, Vinn’s prints often present witty wordplay and warm absurd humour, which invite viewers to join in the artist’s thought and creative processes. Through uniquely characteristic imagery, which shows traces of the aesthetics of pop art and psychedelia, Vinn has dealt with important issues of his time, which have remained topical to this day. In order to show how Vello Vinn’s oeuvre has impacted Estonian art and visual culture, his works in this exposition have been placed in dialogue with artworks of younger authors, most of which have been created specifically for this exhibition.

The various facets of Vinn’s oeuvre have inspired the musicians and artists Kiwa and Mihkel Kleis, the printmaker Lilli-Krõõt Repnau, the graphic designer Brit Pavelson, the photo artist Krista Mölder and the installation artist Kristina Õllek. The resulting tributes are varied: critical and poetic, explorative and philosophical, dissecting visual culture and social issues. At the opening, the museum also presented the book accompanying the exhibition, which is the first monographic publication on Vello Vinn. In addition to two articles discussing Vello Vinn’s oeuvre, the book includes the artist’s comprehensive biography, numerous reproductions of his works and a bibliography.

more. www.kumu.ekm.ee