Riina Kübarsepp

Abstract

Kaljo Põllu (born in 1934) entered the Estonian art and art circles in 1962 when he became the head of the art cabinet at the University of Tartu with a diploma in glass art. Initially, he figured in the Pallas-like art circles of Tartu as an ambassador of the art fostered in Tallinn, bringing the wafts of avant-garde to the university town and being involved mainly in op, pop and modern art. In 1967 the group of artists Visarid was founded on his initiative. In 1973 when the art cabinet, which had turned into an interdisciplinary school of thought, was moved from the adjacency of the University main building to Tiigi Street and had lost its significance as the intellectual centre, Põllu left for Tallinn, where his creative signature changed considerably. Already in Tartu he had established contacts with scholars of Finno-Ugric studies, and he had participated in expeditions to the Estonian kinsfolk. During his Tallinn period, the artist focused in his works on the search for Finno-Ugric roots. The uniqueness of his series of graphic art won Kaljo Põllu repute not only in Estonia but also in the art circles of the entire Nordic area (and perhaps elsewhere). The article opens with posing the question about the turning points in Kaljo Põllu's creative work, where an innovative avant-garde of the late 1960s Estonian art became a Finno-Ugrian and visualiser of the Finno-Ugric mythology. In order to describe the art and cultural phenomena and the political situation during the "thaw" of the late 1960s, the first part of the article presents an introductory overview relying on theories formulated by Jaak Kangilaski, forming a framework on which further discussion is based on. Several chapters of the article emphasise the critical and decisive impact of the events of 1968 in Europe and America on Kalju Põllu from the aspect of temporal concept. The overview discussing the different angles of Põllu's creation is essay-like in form, aiming to present various models and approaches to interpret his works. The article also explicates certain key words, like Nativism and globalisation, which are essential for an adequate overview of the topic. Kalju Põllu was the founder of the Visarid group in 1966, and, incidentally, also the person who ended its activities in 1972. The radical turn into the Finno-Ugric themes in his works may be thus considered as concurrent with the end of the Visarid group. Already during the art group period Põllu communicated actively with Paul Ariste, Jaan Eilart and Jaan Kaplinski, who, consequently, guided his creative work by writings introducing the Finno-Ugric worldview. Being familiar with the Finno-Ugric worldview is therefore essential in understanding and conceptualising Põllu's Finno-Ugric work. Among the reasons underlying the so-called creative rebirth of many Estonian artists are the end of the "thaw", the Iron Curtain becoming even more impenetrable, and the culmination of social stagnation. The period 1976-1986 is characteristic in the weakening of the avant-garde ideology owing to the increasing importance of National-Conservative philosophy, which identified itself with the traditions of aesthetics. Like other leading avant-garde authors (such as, for example, Tõnis Vint), Kaljo Põllu saw the return to the ancient mythology as a way to preserve his creative independence during the 1970s' stagnation. Revolutionary ideas and adaptation became intricately interwoven in the personality of this Soviet artist. Thus, Kalju Põllu can be characterised by an ability to integrate, which is common to Estonian artists in general, intellectual brilliance, strong character and creative independence. But his creation is remarkable in the interrelation of modern art and the art based on ethnic roots.