Tere Tartust!
It’s been one month exactly since I first set foot in Tartu’s Trüki- ja Paberimuuseum to commence my residency. One artist – the lovely and talented Paul Pretzer – has just left and before his seat has even turned cold a new artist – Denton Frederickson – has entered the building. I am well overdue for my first blog post!
So – before I forget them all – here are my first impressions of Tartu.
LOVE:
- The drawers and drawers of vintage and antique letterpress (that I’m determined to use at some point!) at the Trükimuuseum
- Being allowed to ride a bicycle without a helmet (and on the footpaths!)
- The open-air market by the river, with its selection of summer berries, pickled cucumbers and eclectic merchandise
- Muhu Pagarid bakery at the Aparaaditehas – quite possibly the best rye bread I have ever tasted. The rest of the Aparaaditehas is not too shabby either.
- The Uuskasutuskeskus en route to the studio. An obligatory stop for picking up retro glassware, crockery and Soviet era postcards at prices so ridiculously cheap it’s almost like they are paying you
- Wall to wall festivals in the streets
- The fact that my 1960’s Soviet era flat is in the heart of the old town, next door to a thirteenth-century church.
- A whole bunch of other stuff, but I’ll save those for another post.
Jonas and Paul playing what is quite possibly the official game of Tartu – ping pong
GRIPES:
- Everyone here speaks such excellent English it’s nigh on impossible to learn any Estonian.
- Time is going by way too quickly.
HOT TIPS:
- Bring gumboots. Even in summer.
- Vinegar dissolves calcium.
Here are a few snaps, to get the ball rolling.
- Üks kord lõika (from the Estonian saying, “Measure nine times, cut once”, which gives you some indication of just how conscientious they are).
- Ove brings it to the linocut shuffle in the Paberimuuseum. Large scale printing Estonian style. (Surprisingly effective).
- Studio set up.
- My favourite Tartu street art thus far, as spotted on my Pseudo Art Tour with Salme.
- Ping Pong at the Aparaaditehas.
Artwork on the streets by Edward von Lõngus
Kohtumiseni!