Endel Taniloo was a person whose importance in the art of Tartu certainly cannot be underestimated. He was an ardent organiser and promoter of artistic life in Tartu, a prolific sculptor, a curious observer of life, an outstanding teacher and a valued colleague. His cheerful and energetic nature, colourful personality and great vitality were familiar to many.
Endel Taniloo had an exceptionally long, extensive and multifaceted creative career. Over the course of nearly sixty years, he completed about a thousand sculptures, had more than thirty solo exhibitions and constantly participated in various overview exhibitions.
“At the exhibition, we have displayed as diverse a selection of the artist’s works as possible, to convey the diversity of his work, his artistic development and his constant desire to experiment. Having visited Taniloo’s flat museum in Jakobi street in Tartu and his home studio in Kalda street many times, it’s clear that he liked to surround himself with his sculptures in his workspace, to look at them repeatedly and show them to others in this manner. That’s why we created a similar environment in the gallery, so that the viewer can take part in the abundant creations that surrounded the sculptor himself daily,” the curators explain.
Endel Eduard Taniloo (1923–2019) was an Estonian sculptor who mainly worked in figural, portrait and monumental sculpture. He studied at the Tartu Teachers’ Seminary (1940–1943), the Pallas Art School (1943–1944) and the Tartu State Art Institute (1946–1952). In 1959–2000, Endel Taniloo worked as a teacher at the Tartu Art School, and in 1992–1995 he was a lecturer at the Painting Department of the University of Tartu. He was the chairman of the Tartu Artists’ Union from 1977 to 1987. He was awarded the Order of the White Star, Fourth Class (2002).
The curators of the exhibition: Eike Eplik and Elika Kiilo-Kulpsoo
Graphic design: Silver Sikk
Thanks: Airike Taniloo- Bogatkin, Georg Bogatkin, Urmas Taniloo, Heljo Taniloo and Korp! Revelia
