This weekend (June 29 - July 1 2007) is Estonia’s 10th Youth Song and Dance Celebration. Just like the song festivals that take place here every five years, this event draws quite a crowd. Tickets are still available, though, so if you’re in Estonia you really should go.
I actually live next to Kalevi stadium, where most of the events will take place. I’ve been hearing noises coming from that direction all day, and couldn’t help but notice the large groups of people walking along Juhkentali and Liivalaia (not to mention the police patrol). It’s raining at the moment, but oh how I’m hoping the weather clears up by tomorrow evening!
Oh, and I’ll pass along this tip: Buy the standing tickets. They’re less expensive and usually it’s so crowded that those who paid for seats have to stand anyway.
For those of you in Chicago (anyone?), I encourage you to check out a new exhibit called The Space Between at C33 Gallery. It features the work of Estonian photographer, Terttu Uibopuu. Though you wouldn’t know if from the exhibit, Terttu also teaches bookbinding to her fellow photographers. Her work will also be part of two upcoming group exhibitions (one in Chicago and one in Germany), so check out her website for more details.
THE SPACE BETWEEN
Photographs by 2006 Kodak Scholarship Recipient
Terttu Uibopuu
June 28 – July 27, 2007
Reception: Friday, June 29, 5 - 7 pm
The Space Between represents the work of Terttu Uibopuu, this year’s recipient of the Kodak Scholarship. The photographs in The Space Between depict dusty laundry rooms, dirty factories and otherwise overlooked corners of living spaces. Terttu’s work combines natural and artificial light, and transforms these simple spaces into appealing and inviting environments. The appearance of abandoned objects further engages the viewer to experience places seen and passed by every day. In these disregarded settings, the viewer may reconsider the beauty in the mundane.
Image: Bicycle, 2006, Terttu Uibopuu
As many of you know, this weekend is the midsummer holiday. Basically it’s the summer solstice holiday, but in Estonia it has several layers. The first layer is Victory Day (Võidupüha), the celebration of the victory of Estonia over the Germans in the Battle of Vonnu on June 23, 1919. The second layer is Midsummer Eve (Jaaniõhtu), a pagan festival, which begins on the night of the 23rd.
According to one website:
Ancient Pagans celebrated Midsummer with bonfires. “It was the night of fire festivals and of love magic, of love oracles and divination. It had to do with lovers and predictions, when pairs of lovers would jump through the luck-bringing flames…” It was believed that the crops would grow as high as the couples were able to jump. Through the fire’s power, “…maidens would find out about their future husband, and spirits and demons were banished.” Another function of bonfires was to generate sympathetic magic: giving a boost to the sun’s energy so that it would remain potent throughout the rest of the growing season and guarantee a plentiful harvest.
Today, Estonians celebrate Midsummer Eve and Midsummer (Jaanik) in a similar manner to ancient Estonians. They travel to the country, light bonfires, stay up all night drinking, singing, dancing, and jumping over the bonfires. Hey, if it ain’t broke…
Estonia was one of the last of the northern countries to be converted to Christianity, and even then many people continued to practice pagan rituals. Today, Estonia has no official religion, with about 60% of the population claiming a religious affiliation. Mixed in with the Midsummer holiday is St. John’s Day (Jaanipäev). This is the Christian holiday celebrating the birth of St. John the Baptist. This is a minor Christian holiday, and the name was basically just applied to a pagan holiday to “Christianize” it.
In 2005 we spent Jaanipäev in Haapsalu, but this year we’re heading east to the Avinurme pütilaat. Happy Jaanipäev, everyone!
According to the Estonian Film Foundation, Kadri Kõusaar’s directorial debut “Magnus” is the first Estonian film to be included in the Cannes official program.
„Magnus” is the story of a sensitive young boy named Magnus (Ruuben Rekkor), who grows up in a family and atmosphere where no one really cares about him. His parents think that children grow up themselves, and if they have food and shelter, all is OK – no more effort must be invested in them. Magnus suffers from a lung disease that is said to be fatal and plays bizarre games with death. However, ten years later, modern medicine has managed to cure the disease but Magnus’ death wish is still there. When a grown-up Magnus (Kristjan Kasearu) makes his second suicide attempt, his father’s (Mart Laisk) conscience awakens. He tries to teach his son some lessons and convince him to go on living, up to a shocking conclusion.
According to The Baltic Times, the film “was banned from distribution in Estonia by a court.” The director, Kadri Kõusaar, appealed the decision and the court hearing was held yesterday. I don’t yet know what the court decided, but I’m hoping for the best.
Tech capitals of the world? Yup, Tallinn’s among them.
This post has nothing to do with Estonia, but it deals with a topic that is important to me, so I hope you will take the time to read it through!
I’ve loved the architecture of Antoni Gaudi since I first saw it… in a book. In fact, I still haven’t made it to Barcelona. But that doesn’t mean the fate of the Sagrada Familia (Gaudi’s temple-in-progress) isn’t important to me.
Gaudi’s architecture is whimsical and shows a generosity of vision that I adore. So, after reading Warning: Trains Coming. A Masterpiece Is at Risk. in yesterday’s New York Times, I immediately began looking a way to lend my voice in protest against the coming damage of the Sagrada Familia. And I found this petition: SOSSagradaFamilia.org
I hope that Gaudi, architecture, and the protection of a UNESCO World Heritage Site are important enough for you to also sign the petition and to encourage the same among your friends!
Wish I had known about this sooner, but there’s a film about Chagall’s work being screened at Kumu this evening:
06.06.07 kell 18:00
Chagall – Venemaale, eeslitele ja teistele
Rež. François Lévy Kuentz
Prantsusmaa 2003. Filmi pikkus 55′. Inglise keeles.
Eluloofilm Prantsusmaal kodu leidnud valgevene-juudi kunstnik Marc Chagallist (1887-1985), kelle 20. sajandi suurtest murrangutest killustatud saatus kandis ta sünnikodust Vitebskist läbi Peterburi, Moskva, Pariisi, Berliini ja New Yorgi Lõuna-Prantsusmaale Saint-Paul-de-Vence’i. Chagalli loetakse 20. sajandi alguse Pariisi koolkonna üheks klassikuks, kelle nimega ühtegi „-ismi“ siiski siduda ei saa – ta eristus hoopis täiesti eksootilise müstilis-romantilise pildikeele ja muinasjutuliste külaelu-kujutustega. Chagalli looming oli justkui ellujäämistehnika läbi pideva eemaloleku, puudumis- ja üksindustunde, mis saatsid kunstnikku tema esimestest rännakutest alates. Juurtetus ja taasjuurdumine, kallite inimeste eemalolek, taasleidmine ja -kaotamine – need väga tugevad inimlikud emotsioonid on Chagalli teoste kandvaks narratiiviks, mis teeb tema loomingu mõistetavaks, jõuab otse vaataja südamesse. Võime armastada, leida elujõudu ka siis, kui oled pea kõik kaotanud või kõigest loobunud, on Chagalli loo teine kandev sõnum, mida filmis annab südamliku arhiivi-intervjuu kaudu edasi klassik ise. Kuigi eluloole keskenduv, annab film hästi edasi ka kunstiajaloolise pildi Chagalli ajastust ja loometeest.
The BBC website has a photo essay called: The Seto people, A border people. It’s worth a look! (Thanks to reader Adrian Smith for sending.)
Kolm Maailma Nurka/Three Corners Of The World
David Rothenberg (USA)- klarnet, flöödid, loodushäälte töötlused
Petri Kuljuntausta (Soome)- elektroonika, helitöötlused, lint
Robert Jürjendal (Eesti)- kitarrid, looper.
1 Juni, 2007
21.00
Vanalinna Muusikamajas - Uus 16C
Tallinn, ESTONIA
tasuta! / free!
Another international gathering as part of Tallinn’s Old Town Days,
this multinational trio returns to the Muusikamaja for the first time
in four years.
Blending rhythmic loops, natural sounds, jazz and world music elements
with live electronic processing, their music spans reachs from Tallinn’s ancient
limestone Hanseatic roots to its high-tech Euro-visioned future.
Hear part of their previous concert at:
www.myspace.com/davidrothenbergs
