Universe of the Farmyard: Creators of Southern Estonia

In recent decades, an “awakening” regarding southern Estonia has taken place featuring the bold distinction of its identity, which is based on such deeply rooted cultural phenomena as the local dialect, customs and a lifestyle that remains close to nature. Research on southern Estonian culture has vigorously intensified, focusing on three large areas: language, folklore and literature. Research that would also analyse “southern Estonianness” in the oeuvre of artists who grew up in the area and are closely associated with it is, however, still missing. Many of the key modernist figures of the beginning of Estonian art history were from southern Estonia and their oeuvres have influenced our imagination and understanding of “southern Estonianness” on a visual level. The exhibition explores the period from the end of the 19th century to the end of World War II. Besides a general definition of national and political consciousness, at that time the creation of regional identities also took place, including in southern Estonia. Works by nearly fifty artists are exhibited, including those by Karl Pärsimägi, Konstantin Süvalo, Jaan Vahtra, Eduard Rüga, Villem Ormisson, Jaan Koort, Peet Aren, Konrad Mägi, Ants Murakin, Roman Nyman, Andrus Johani and Eduard Wiiralt. A special focus is on Eduard Timbermann, whose unique oeuvre has thus far not received the attention it deserves.