Tarrvi Laamann’s artistic creations have their origins in many exciting locations around the world, often tropical and sunny. Typically, the artist sets out on his journey with a large white canvas roll under his arm. During his travels, symbols, signs, and shamanistic markers are captured onto the canvas, which he later uses as a reference to create artworks back in Estonia, his homeland. For Tarrvi, Estonia is the place to process what he has experienced and captured, and then to add a local essence. The initial imprints on the canvas are usually in some print technique, whether it be woodcut boards carved on the beaches of Havana or in the mountains of Italy, monotype impressions of large and lush Jamaican plant leaves, or even cutouts from local newspapers in collage technique. Printmaking is the starting point from which brushwork begins. Just as every letter has a unique sound vibration, so do Tarrvi’s paintings, symbols, and brushstrokes resonate in musical rhythms, conveying the emotions of distant lands to the viewer. Tarrvi’s brightly coloured, contrasting, and at first glance even primitive works always have many layers and a deeper, philosophical aspect, inviting the viewer to engage in dialogue and introspection.
Tarrvi Laamann (1973) is an artist, DJ, and the most prominent promoter of Jamaican reggae culture in Estonia. Laamann graduated from the Estonian Academy of Arts with a Master’s degree in Graphics (2000) and has been a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association since 1994. Since 1998, Laamann has organized a series of events introducing reggae culture called “Bashment”.
With the exhibition, the artist pays deep respect to his departed friend and the supervisor of his MA thesis at the Estonian Academy of Arts, Prof. Leonhard Lapin.
Visitors to the exhibition will be transported to Tarrvi’s current island home through a video installation created by Kaidi Marii Kütt, based on the works of Annika Metsla and Tarrvi Laamann – “Jamaica – no problem!”
The exhibition remains open until September 16, 2023.
As part of the exhibition, a workshop will be held on September 1, 2023, at 17.00
More information:
The curator of the exhibition: Meelis Tammemägi, meelis.tammemagi@artun.ee, +372 53 908 107
More about Tarrvi Laamann:
www.laamann.ee
www.mixcloud.com/reggaetarrvi
www.instagram.com/tarrvi.laamann
Author of the photo for press: Annika Metsla
Gallery Pallas
galerii@pallasart.ee
+372 734 9954
Tule-Sat 11-18, Riia 11, Tartu
facebook.com/GaleriiPallas
