Vilen Künnapu’s personal exhibition “Everyday Atlantis…”

According to Plato, Atlantis was located somewhere on the island of Santorini. That is exactly the place where Künnapu’s first paintings were made in 2012. The artist continued developing his slightly dream-like style for the next eight years. In addition to large-scale paintings inspired by Santorini, the exhibition also includes compositions based on Andalusia and Cuba and motifs from Tallinn and Tartu have have found an original abstract guise. The paintings are full of pure colours, energy, magic ornaments and ancient symbols. The author believes that the works increase the energetics of the gallery and have a healing effect.

The artist adds: “Designing houses, I feel like an artist, but painting makes me feel like an architect. I enjoy both sides immensely but painting is probably at the centre of it all. My aim is to achieve the feeling that lies behind the buildings and the art works and I therefore paint this feeling without precisely knowing what it is. Maybe I actually paint a force or an energy. Depicting historic buildings, I envision myself as an ancient architect who built them. I don’t paint precisely what I see, but add my own style to generalised forms with colours, new windows, doors and other elements. So, a painting can be a project. More precisely: an ideal project.”

Vilen Künnapu (b 1948) is an architect and artist. In 1971, he graduated from the Estonian State Art Institute and has designed numerous enchanting building. With his partner Ain Padrik, he has won various awards at international architectural competitions. His installations have been shown at the Venice Biennale of Architecture and the London Festival of Architecture. His previous exhibition in the Tartu Art House took place in 2013.

The exhibition will remain open until 28 June.