News
New tapestry decorates the Grand Hall
01.11.2010
The new tapestry which was recently put on the wall of the Grand Hall of the Traditional Music Center looks striking from afar but there a many interesting details which might be left unnoticed when looking at it from a distance.
For example, the fabric has photos of both former and current folk musicians printed on it. "That was our plan all along," assured the artist Kersti Rattus who was the initiator of the project. "This hall is often showed on television, thus, the mural provides a nice background but it also offers the possibility to zoom in to the details of the mural."
More than ten people worked on the mural for longer than six months. The initial plan was to finish the mural before the Folk Music Festival in the summer, but the project turned put to be more time-consuming than the artists realised. Thus, the visitors of this year's Harvest Festival were the first ones who had the chance to see the mural on the wall.
The tapestry is made of woollen, linen and cotton and was woven and stitched on looms. The team involved in making the tapestry consists of mostly the same people who are in charge of the designs for the Folk Music Festival but the students from the Department of Native Crafts from the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy also lend a helping hand.
"It is amazing how much work remarkable people can do!" praised Kersti Rattus who started designing the tapestry already in spring. "One could say that in the present day and age they might even be considered to be too determined. They were more than happy to help."
Every part of the three-part artwork depicts a different symbol. "The growing takes place in the lower bit where the musicians and instruments are depicted," described Kersti Rattus. "The middle part shows flourishing and here the supporters and the traditional Music Center are in the centre. The ornaments at the top symbolise rotation, power and the Sun."
There are also diamond shapes, elements symbolising birth and the Milky Way depicted at the top. "Traditional songs speak to people in a simple and figurative language, they don't force themselves on their listeners," said the artist. "The same applies to the tapestry. It emits positivity and draws a parallel with traditional music through the ornaments used on it."
The head of Estonian Traditional Music Center Ando Kiviberg is very happy with the result. "The tapestry is full of interesting small details," he said.
The previous colourful tapestry which was embellished with CDs had to be taken down due to safety reasons because it blocked the smoke shutters.
Margus Haav,
Sakala