(Opening remarks at XIBIT, the joint exhibition of Ants Elken and Toomas Tamm, May 13th at the Toronto Estonian House Art Gallery)
Today, we are privileged to enjoy the happy side of the struggle of two distinguished gentlemen who have had multiple love affairs. These two gentlemen both have a legitimate, licensed professional relationship in life — should we say like marriage — maybe it was one day even their true love and they have made a good living at it. Yes, you earn a living from it, but the life of an architect turned out to be somewhat restricted!
There are rules and regulations to follow: setbacks, height limitations, federal, provincial, municipal codes and bylaws, fire regulations, siteplan approval, building permits — and your wonderful, beautiful concept has to fit into this leftover space and turns out to be somewhat square, put together of square blocks and bricks. So the unhappy creative mind looks around, finds a hunk of virgin clay, and would he make a brick out of it? No way! He puts it on a rotating table and creates — actually “feels” out of it a beautiful useless thing — or maybe a vase — and Ants is happy and proud.
When Toomas drew those two lines (over there on the framed picture) he did not use his t-square. No! His hand followed the curves and we see that she is there. The real question is: Who is she?
When I was asked to say a few words here today, I went and did some research work (as I have learned from my academic friends, who talk a lot.) Both Ants and Toomas submitted material for Profiles — The Estonian Architects in Canada publication. From there we can get some understanding of the needs and inclinations of human minds. Why do we want to do more than just provide the necessities? Why do we play?
On the pages of Profiles Ants tells us that his first love was music. His life’s direction comes from his creative spirit. He does not accept humans as the ultimate authority. He believes in fate. He doesn’t care about money — luxuries are totally unacceptable. Sailing is one of his passions and politics is not. His interest in the history of architecture starts with the last century — where there can still be seen a tie with today. Ants very affirmatively states that architecture and art do not need verbal explanation.
Toomas takes his professor’s advice very religiously. He fills his pages in Profiles with pictures, maps and symbols — no verbal explanation: a 1000 words here, a 1000 words there, but nothing written! Has anybody had a serious conversation with Toomas? You end up limping.
If the concept of a work of art is born inside of the artist, then the presented product — art itself — is under the creator’s intellectual control. Man can be a natural creator, but most likely he shows his expressions to the outside world through his personally selected method. An artist himself/herself is a well-tuned instrument with all his skills and knowledge added to his raw talent.
Today’s exhibits are not just framed paintings or happy scultures — easy to observe. These artworks are intellectually nourishing.
In their licensed endeavours both gentlemen were rather successful. Toomas became a partner in the most known architects’ conclave in town. Ants ended up with a full professorship at the School of Architecture, was named a lifetime member of the Ontario Association of Architects and he has the honour of being elected a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.
Love affairs — art and architecture
Archived Articles | 03 Jun 2005 | Elmar TampõldEWR
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