This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ilmar Malin (1924–2024). He is one of the most important painters from Estonia and especially from Tartu during the second half of the 20th century. Over the course of his diverse career, he managed to move from the compulsory socialist realism of his school years through in-depth explorations of surrealism to innovative installation art of the of the 1990s.
The exhibition at the Pallas Gallery will mainly focus on Malin’s non-surrealist oeuvre, thereby complementing the exhibition “Ilmar Malin. Glow of Eternity” at the Tartu Art Museum (open until July 21). The curators also wanted to focus on works which the audience has seen rarely if at all since they are in private collections or in difficult to access locations.
The large hall on the ground floor is filled with paintings: on display are works from Malin’s early portraits and a sketch for his graduate work at the State Art Institute of the Estonian SSR to monumental series which are shown for the first time away from their intended locations. Additionally, examples from his travels to Central Asia, industrial scenes from Ida-Virumaa and a selection from Malin’s rich portrait gallery.
The basement offers an overview of the artist’s surrealist drawings and prints left out of Tartu Art Museum’s exhibition but are nonetheless considered the quintessence of the artist’s surrealist oeuvre. Some of Malin’s installations have also been recreated. The second floor project room contains reproductions of monumental works, preliminary designs and archive material.
The exhibition is curated by the artist’s son Jaan Malin and the art historians Holger Rajavee and Peeter Talvistu. The exhibition design is by the artist Enn Tegova.
Lenders of the works: Estonian Literary Museum, Estonian National Museum, Estonian Theatre and Music Museum, Kohtla-Järve Oil Shale Museum, Lääneranna county, Tartu Art Museum, Tartu Town Government, University of Tartu, Viinistu Art Museum and private collections.
The exhibition “Ilmar Malin 100. Homo Ludens” is open until 17 August.
The exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
Additional information:
Peeter Talvistu
talvistu@gmail.com
00372 5650 7782
