Eesti kunsti oksjonid
Kaljo Simson “Läheks vaja?”
Sügisoksjon 2025
Oil on masonite.
Signature: Kaljo Simson / “LÄHEKS VAJA?” õli 123×92 KALJO SIMSON
| Measurements | 92 x 123 cm |
|---|---|
| Starting price | 2 900 € |
| Number of bids | 2 |
| Hammer price | 3 000 € |
One of Estonia’s most famous underground avant-garde artists is Kaljo Simson (1929-2017), whose work is gradually becoming known to art audiences and critics, like an announcement from another planet. Using bright, pure colors and striking schemes, Simson’s figural compositions deal with absurd scenes through theatrical production.
The play on words in the title also suggests staging, which is very telling in the context of the era – I need some but where can I get some? Have to do it yourself! In the painting, a young man on a motorbike is riding along the riverbank, grabbing a pennant pole hanging from a boat. At the same time, the young man looks directly at the viewer, creating a dialogue through eye contact. In this painting, the intimate and the absurd meet directly and humorously, at least thirty years earlier than they did in Peeter Allik’s work.
Text: Harry Liivrand