Valeri Vinogradov
4.7.-11.8.13
Kunstihoone, Tallinn
Paintings, collages
An exhibition by Valeri Vinogradov is never boring, there are always surprises and enjoyment. His grand solo exhibition at Tallinn Art Hall is not disappointing at all. Here are wonderful abstracts, weird collages, disturbing or hilarious picture modifications, hommages and self-irony, and some enigmatic cyrillic messages.
Mets (Forest)
These wonderful large-format abstracts remind me of doors, hatches or building materials. I am thrilled by the details of structure, form and color.
Mets (Forest)
Siberiaad
My favourite part of the exhibition. Parts of it was exhibited last summer at Draakoni Galerii in Tallinn, then under the title "Nude Holiday". Here photos and pictures from various sources are modified according to the artist's fantasy - some people are undressed, some are redressed, and some are put in a new setting. The list of titles for all these miniatures contains names of places, situations and people, for instance the female caretaker of a factory machine in some named Russian village. According to the title these may be impressions on a fictive journey through Siberia.
Siberiaad
Siberiaad
Jumalal on palju nimesid (God has many names)
If this is irony, it is great humour. If this is serious, I am slightly worried. The canvases contain the name of Jaan Elken, the president of the Estonian Artist Union, in different languages. Is he a god? For whom?
Absolut Valeri
And a good laugh in the end - a dark room is decorated like an Absolut vodka ad. Absolut Valeri. I am told drinks was served here during the opening. What later visitors get are the empty bucket and the ad.
