Participating artists include, from Estonia: Toomas Kuusing, Anonymous Boh, Taje Tross, Pusa, Tönis Laanemaa, Leonhard Lapin, Terttu Uibopuu, Raul Meel, Peeter Allik, Hillar Tatar, George Koll and Serge Koll. From the U.S.: Bradford J. Salamon, Sonja Schenk, Doug Edge, Gloriane Harris, John Hancock, Sulamit Elizondo, Robbie Conal, Lilli Muller, Mb Boissonnault, Juri Koll, Cosimo Cavallaro, Lil’ Mikey Coleman, Lilli Muller, Robert Nelson, William Turtle, Catherine Ruane, and Pablo Llana.
Above, the graceful trees of Catherine Ruane.
From the colorful abstract seascapes of Harris to Conal’s highly political art, Ruane’s lush graphite images of trees so real you could touch them, to Schenk’s exciting cut-out-based painting studies, and Salamon’s viscerally real all-American images, the exhibition offers vibrant artists that contrast and compare in a pitch-perfect visual dialog with their Estonian counterparts’ work.
Artists participated in an art talk last weekend that engaged both local artists live, and those from Estonia via video.
Above, Signe Krikmann, Consul of the Consulate General of Estonia in New York, studies the artwork.
The exhibition is not only fascinating artistically, but as a step toward global cultural inclusion. The plan for the exhibition is that the ViCA gallery exhibition is just the start. Next, it will travel to Estonia in a cultural exchange to promote freedom of speech, activism, and peace as a new way to see and express each culture. A published catalog will follow the exhibition.
Above, Koll points out elements of his latest work to Jaak Treiman, Honorary Consul of Estonia in Los Angeles, and artist Robert Nelson, whose exciting low brow pop realism work is included in the exhibition.
Several artworks in the show date from the Soviet era, and serve as a commentary on the on-going struggle for independence and freedom of expressiong, Koll notes – and that commentary is prescient both in Estonia, as it celebrates its 100th anniversary of independence, but in the U.S. as well. Estonia and other Baltic states emerged as free, democratice countries 1918 through 1919.
Above, work from Estonian artist Leonhard Lapin, whose ideas about machines’ providing pleasure as well as production are the basis of his Machine, Man Machine, Woman Machine series, an example of which is above. Lapin’s interest in the subject was an outgrowth of his translation of the revolutionary book The Non-Objective World into the Estonian language.
After the exhibition closes in Los Angeles on June 29, Edge to Edge will be presented with works from additional artists as well as several new works from those already participating from North America in July at the Tartu Art House within the framework of the Tartu Graphic Festival (July 22 – August 18) and at the Pärnu IN Graphics Festival in Pärnu City Gallery opening on August 10, and the Fahle Gallery in Tallinn from July 27 through August 30th. These locations are all within Estonia.
From left: “Midnight Snack” by Bradford Salamon; collaborations by Anonymous Boh (Estonia) and John Hancock (US), “Dude Descending the Staircase” by Bradford J. Salamon, and “Performance Formula I” by Taje Tross.
It doesn’t get much more iconic-Americana than the Dude or a giant burger. Salamon, as always, kills it with his intensely rewarding realist style.
For a look at this seminal exhibition closer to home, closing is Saturday the 29th at ViCA, located at 401 S. Mesa Street, San Pedro, CA 90731
- Genie Davis; photos provided by Juri Koll