Evi Tihemets and August Künnapu. Happiness and Everything Else

From Friday, 6 May, Tallinn City Gallery will host the exhibition Happiness and Everything Else, which brings together artists Evi Tihemets and August Künnapu, professionals and dreamers who are both picturesque and graphic at the same time. The curator of the exhibition is Tamara Luuk.

“August Künnapu’s fragility and the vulnerability of his being fully engaged in culture seem to be in sharp contrast to the bold self-awareness and natural power of Evi Tihemets. Künnapu creates, trusting what is given, Tihemets, on the other hand, shapes according to her will. Nevertheless, the work of art in progress brings happiness to both. And when there is happiness, everything else will fall into place,” says Tamara Luuk, the curator of the exhibition.

Both artists speak in everyday terms and select their imagery from the glorious or not so glorious everyday life and history, yet their attitudes differ. Evi Tihemets’ creativity and playfulness are expressed in masterful techniques and colourful imagery, whereas in August Künnapu’s work they manifest in a child-like and cheerful approach to colour and figures.

Tihemets’ development as an artist aligns with the styles and ways of thinking of the current times and she also draws on her experiences across many decades. She was trained to perform almost all genres of art: portraits, landscapes, still- lives, realistic and abstract compositions. Künnapu, on the other hand, does what he loves and trusts, just what feels true to him and what he knows. He has no interest in still-lives or views of nature; instead, he focuses entirely on people and the world of culture and art. Both artists perform their duty to life and art calmly and without a struggle. Künnapu does it “as thoroughly and accurately as possible”, typical of naïve artists, whereas Tihemets works as a professional who knows how to harness the possibilities of her profession. They do it in different ways, as indeed they should be, both freely following their vocation.