Richard Kaljo. Tales in Prints and Letters
Location: 4th floor, Cabinet of Prints and Drawings
Richard Kaljo (1914–1978) was an Estonian graphic artist whose oeuvre includes prints, book illustrations and book-plates. His creative activities took place during two dramatically different periods of Estonian art: he studied at the Higher Art School Pallas and began his promising career as an artist during the pre-war Republic of Estonia, while his more mature artistic endeavours coincided with the Soviet occupation. This conflict, an enforced retreat from modernist searches to the depiction manner dictated by the doctrine of Socialist Realism, is reflected in the present exhibition, which focuses on Kaljo’s fine prints.
The idea for the exhibition was proposed by Richard Kaljo’s daughter, the artist Kai Kaljo, whose video My Father’s Letters (2014), which portrays her personal relationship with her father, is here exhibited in Tallinn for the first time.
The exhibition is accompanied by a book entitled Richard Kaljo. Fine Prints in the Collections of the Art Museum of Estonia, which also provides the first detailed overview of Richard Kaljo’s fine prints. The publication of the book was supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
Curator: Elnara Taidre
Exhibition design: Villu Plink
Graphic design Külli Kaats
We thank:
Richard Kaljo’s descendants, especially Kai Kaljo and Jaan Kaljo, Tartu Art Museum, Rein Vihalemm, Peeter Vihalemm
Supporter:
Eesti Kultuurkapital
