Kolmas rahvakunst

• Main Author: Sigrid Saarep
• Format: Article
• Language: Estonian
• Published: Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum 2005-01-01
• Series: Mäetagused
• Online Access: http://www.folklore.ee/tagused/nr29/saarep.pdf
• ISSN: 1406-992X; 1406-9938

A new field of visual folk art has emerged in contemporary Estonian folk art - namely, a symbiotic third coming of folk art, which has developed as a fusion of visual tradition characteristic of professional art and ethnic worldview and handicraft skills. Modern creators of visual folk art are unique artists of lore, who differ from earlier handicraftsmen in the subjective original creation, which does not serve practical purposes. Folk art has developed simultaneously with tendencies in academic art. Closer contacts between urban and rural population since the 18th-19th century contributed to the acceleration of the mergence of popular and elitist art forms. This period introduced several forms of the second wave of folklore, such as lubok (ethnic wood engraving in the Slavonic areas) or limner paintings (untrained painters in America), Naivist paintings, propaganda ceramics of the French Revolution, hand-painted signboards of stores and the painted backgrounds in photo studios. Professional national art emerged in Estonia as late as in the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. This explains the rather late contact of the Estonian agrarian population with "pictures" and academic art tradition. By 1906, when the works of artists "proper" were displayed next to amateurs and handicraftsmen at the annual exhibition of the Tartu Farmers' Society, it can be said that the tradition of painting had reached the agrarian population. The last decades have witnessed an increased interest in non-elitist forms of art. Various terms and definitions are applied to the amateur art standing outside the academic tradition. In the United States, this trend is referred to as contemporary (visual) folk art, which includes Naivism, outsider art, rural handicraft. In Finland, the creation of village artists is called by the abbreviation ITE (in Finnish, Itse Tehty Elämä, or `Self-created Life). Other popular terms are hobby art and the term `village fool', which obviously defines an artist's creative activities as `madness' or `foolishness'. The institutional sphere of Estonian folk art has thus far avoided recognising the tradition of visual folk art in the context of our folk culture. The terms applied here are amateur performances, home decoration and hobbies, but original ethnic creation of high quality which stands head and shoulders above hobby activities is ignored. Still, even the Estonian folk art knows village geniuses like Jaan Uba, Harri Aer, Leida Alliksaar, Adelbert Juks, Aleksander Tarvis and others, who usually remain outside the institutional system and support of folk culture. But their uniquely enchanting creation appeals to both the general public and experts in the field.