Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Oil on cardboard. 1990s.

The late work of Silvia Jõgever (1924-2005), a member of the Tartu 1960s group of famous female painters, is a characteristically modern mosaic of her experiences on a trip to France. Bullfighting, which we usually associate with Spain, is nevertheless also popular in Franc  where it is held in Provence, in the Nimes and Arles regions. The fact that the artist drew inspiration from there is confirmed by Jaan Jõgever’s statement on the back of the piece.

Dancers, sunbathers and bullfighters – all of them look back at us in the lyrical code characteristic of Jõgever. The artist is equally interested in the decorative qualities of painting, the aesthetics of the picture and the narrative. Thus, a surreal performance unfolds before the viewer where the sandy beach in the foreground and the iridescent sea painted in the background merge into a performance, the content of which requires the audience to focus on both the actors and their shadows.

Text: Harry Liivrand, Mai Levin, Katre Palm