For works of street art, life can be fleeting. Sometimes new pieces can even be painted over with new works within a matter of minutes. ERR’s Russian-language portal correspondent Regina Pichugina has been examining some of the intricacies of legal graffiti in Tallinn.
Recently, the City of Tallinn opened up its third legal graffiti wall – this time in the Mustamäe district.
“We have opened this legal wall. At the opening there were a lot of artists and professionals as well as some absolute beginners when it comes to graffiti. Then we ran a workshop that resulted in us creating a colorful and exotic underwater aquarium [scene],” said Estonian graffiti artist Minty Shrimp.
The graffiti and street art world is one in which art meets concrete walls and spray paint becomes a tool for self-expression. Graffiti is not just about drawings on the streets, it is the language of the city, which speaks to people through colors and shapes.
“I like it a lot. It’s a big area and I think it’s very democratic. If a person has an idea or wants to show something or make something beautiful, they just need to come here. You don’t need a gallery, you don’t have to pay for media access. I like it very much,” said graffiti artist Mihhail Iljin.
Street art in Estonia, just like everywhere else in the world, is no longer associated only with vandalism, but is now recognized as a significant cultural phenomenon that brings together large numbers of talented artists and art connoisseurs.
“I want to bring some thoughtfulness into an uncomplicated space to give the viewer something to think about – to grab their attention,” said graffiti artist Darius Cloud.
Another of Tallinn’s legal graffiti walls is located in the Põhja-Tallinn district. Although it is much larger and longer than the one in Mustamäe, there is now no blank space on it at all.
However, it was the viaduct wall on Pärnu maantee that became something of a pioneer in the world of legal street art in Estonia. Before it opened two years ago, graffiti artists in Estonia had nowhere to hone their craft without facing any restrictions.
“Generally it is believed that the very first father of Estonian graffiti was a guy, who, in the 1980s went around and wrote messages on the walls about UFOs, and about the government. Naturally, that kind of thing was wild in those days, and as a result he was forcibly placed in a psychiatric institution. But here he is considered to be the spiritual father,” Mihhail Iljin said.
On a legal graffiti wall, artists are free to create their own works, which can later be painted over with new pieces by other creators.
“The process is not that important. I guess what is important is that people have that opportunity. There is the opportunity to influence this space, to comfortably enjoy the process and at the same time to practice. Practice is a really important part of the creative process if you want to get to a higher level,” Darius Cloud said.
Through their work, street artists do more than just present nice pictures, they often also address issues that are important to society, thus leaving their mark on history and in people’s hearts.
“Brighter, more colorful, painted walls probably have a positive effect on the mood in society. At the same time, you can also raise some social issues. You don’t have to shout about it. You can show it with colors, and with your compositions. In a veiled way,” Cloud added.
The artists are confident that in the future more and more quality art will appear on the streets of Estonian cities.
The full video report (in Russian) is available on ERR’s Russian-language portal here.
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