Eestikeelsed artiklid

EDITORIAL

EPIFANIO RECOMMENDS

RARITIES IN MY RECORD COLLECTION
Rhythm Doctor

A FEW WORDS ABOUT DIGITAL GRAPHICS OF SINDY ILVES

FIELDS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Mait Vaik

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST. JUKA KÄÄRMANN
Mehis Heinsaar

INTERVEW WITH JÜRGEN-KRISTOFFER KORSTNIK
August Künnapu

SHAKING OFF THE SHACKLES OF PREJUDICES IN ART
Vilen Künnapu

LIFE AND WORK OF KALJO SIMSON
Helen Kooviste

INTERVIEW WITH JAMES JOHNSTON
Harry Pye

TEAM

Art of the universe –
this is the explanation of my art.
Kaljo Simson

Hey-hey! I have compiled the 16th issue of Epifanio, Special issue of creators who should be known better. This happened on a hot summer
day in the Võsu cottage, where I had an epiphany that time was ripe for a new Epifanio. The previous one appeared seven years ago. New exciting creators have emerged in the meantime, and Epifanio’s regular authors have moved on as well.

Years ago I had a chat about art with Rael Artel, the future director of the Tartu Art Museum. She was then running a gallery in her own name and worked with young artists, who were about 5 years older or younger than herself. I asked what would happen if a supremely talented 90-year-old artist would suddenly turn up out of the woods? She said it was impossible (in our small Estonia). The current special issue shows that it is possible. The style of Kaljo Simson, who comes from among the junipers on Saaremaa Island, reminded Vilen Künnapu of “the then non-existent Italian trans-avant-garde and German Neo-
Expressionism. He seemed a harbinger of upcoming art, just like Neo Rauch, Sandro Chia or Peter Doig, but twenty years earlier.” The quirky painter who developed his distinctive style in the 1960s was ridiculed for his fairytale brushwork, bright purple, pink and orange colours and for depicting links between man and nature. He was able to exhibit his works only seldom. Kaljo passed away last year. Epifanio takes the first step in introducing the life and best paintings of this brilliant creator to a wider audience. I am waiting for the next steps with great excitement.

I conducted a brief interview with the young promising documentary film maker and singer-songwriter Jürgen-Kristoffer Korstnik, who sees life and creative processes as a journey: “We examine, but also enjoy this path we are walking along. If life itself is one big journey and creation, we certainly have no intention
to die quickly, in order to “get this business of living done with”?”

Writer Mait Vaik portraits the poetic conceptualist artist Sven-Erik Stamberg who has been operating underground for a long time and whose graphic art and collages illustrate Vaik’s books.

Nato Lumi, well known to all Epifanio readers, debuts as record reviewer and listens to the recent composition by Mart Aas and Mait Vaik or Kohvik.

Another Epifanio regular author Mehis Heinsaar describes the work of his old friend Juka Käärmann, whose “paintings are like unfocused colour photographs or pictorial puzzles from the 19th or 23rd century.”

The art section is also represented by SindyIlves, whose computer graphics charms with its simplicity and clarity.

Elo Viiding talked with her good colleague Rita Dahl from Finland and compiled a selection of her poems which Elo translated herself. Andri Luup portrays another Finn, his favourite Joose Keskitalo whom he fondly calls “the Ugric Dylan”.

Epifanio’s long-time London correspondent Harry Pye interviews musician James Johnston (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Faust, Gallon Drunk), who has recently been exploring the world of painting.

Record collector Martin Jõela offers an overview of largely forgotten Estonian pop music of the 1970s and 1980s, and revives it by means of mixtape. On the basis of his own record collection, DJ Rhythm Doctor discusses what makes a vinyl a rarity. Writer Peeter Sauter wipes dust off his books of curiosity, which are for him as doors into into another space or world (of ideas).

In text and his own graphic art, Ahti Sepsivart examines the deeper aim of architecture.

I am in awe of those who float in their own
world and cannot be bothered to copy anyone
else.

August Künnapu / editor

www.augustkunnapu.epifanio.eu
https://www.facebook.com/augustkunnapu/

Photo: Alberto Künnapu