On Friday, 26 September at 17:00, the jubilee exhibition “SILHOUETTE” by textile artist Aili Jung opened at the Saaremaa Kunstistuudio Gallery.
“SILHOUETTE,” a tapestry exhibition, is inspired by the former fashion magazine of the same name. I have long been fascinated by the fashion drawings created by artists in the 1970s and 1980s. They are so minimal, yet so expressive — elegant, promising, and nourishing to the imagination.
My sincere thanks to Kristel Hmelnitski, Liivi Raid, Liivia Leśkin, Elga Leśkin, Mari Kanasaar, Kristel Leedjärv, Luule Heapost, Vilma Sepp, Helga Maranik and Evi Aren."
Aili Jung
Born in Tallinn in 1955. Graduated from the textile department of the Estonian Academy of Arts in 1979. Has lived in Saaremaa since 1980.
For nearly forty years she worked as a teacher of art and art history in Saaremaa schools (Saaremaa Upper Secondary School, Kuressaare Gymnasium, Kihelkonna Basic School and the private art school Anne). At the same time, she continued weaving her own tapestries and smaller rugs, both on frames and on looms.
“I wove my first tapestry in 1978 while still in high school (Tallinn Secondary School No. 24, teacher Silvia Kalvik). My largest work is the tapestry Morning in the Rye Field (2 × 4.3 m), while the smallest are minitextiles measuring 10 × 10 cm. I have also woven large rugs (2 × 3 m) using surface-weave techniques, exhibited in Tallinn at Kiek in de Kök Fortifications Museum in 1984.
My works have been shown at exhibitions and are included in collections in Estonia, the Czech Republic, the United States, Russia, Germany, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and elsewhere. I am a member of the Estonian Textile Artists Association.
Over the past twenty years, I have presented a new exhibition each year at the Musta Jala Gallery. Each summer exhibition has explored a different theme and approach — for example men, women, trees, birds, animals, mushrooms, plants, worms, fish, pigs, landscapes, interiors, still lifes, cities, and more.
I cannot say that I have a single style or artistic signature, because each theme opens up new visions and possibilities. Some works are simplified and decorative, others childlike and naïve, naturalistically precise, or abstract. What I always enjoy are colors, tones, nuances, and shades — in other words, painting with yarn. When weaving, however, not only color nuances come into play but also the texture of the yarn, its thickness, composition, softness, or roughness.
Tapestry is both a fascinating and demanding technique, because the work is created row by row from the bottom upwards, placing every ‘brushstroke’ immediately — nothing can be corrected later. A contour drawing lies beneath, but the choice of colors and yarns is relatively spontaneous. That is what makes the process exciting and engaging for me.”
After the opening, a plant-based weaving workshop will take place, introducing different possibilities of tapestry weaving.
The exhibition remains open until 4 November.
Supported by: Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
Additional information:
Anne Tootmaa
Saaremaa Kunstistuudio
info@kunstistuudio.ee
Tel: +372 511 6740
www.kunstistuudio.ee