PRESS RELEASE

JAAN ELKEN (1954) will open his personal exhibition A Day After in Hobusepea gallery at 5pm on June 8th, 2011.

A day after ... After what? The one who surfs in the contemporary world, influenced everywhere by media, is expected to react fast and accurately; tomorrow's news will annihilate today's efforts. Are the bursting volcanoes and the quickly changing climate of yesterday preparing us for the landslides of tomorrow? Don't you think that today's intensity of reality, the multitude of catastrophes and anticipation of catastrophes (as a business for somebody) are strangely synchronized with the numerous apocalyptic visions about the end of the world by the Hollywood film industry? Estonian hostages in Lebanon is surely an example how the scenarios of action films are slowly being filtered into our everyday life.
While painting the waterwall for the exhibition held in ArtDepoo gallery in September 2010, I did not know that the real waterwall will soon happen (to Japan) and that ArtDepoo gallery will be closed in 2011.
Is it because of the meditative qualities of artists's profession that artists are allowed to peep into the future; perhaps artwork has the abilities to visualize the future?
What I know for sure is that text is more permanent than picture (texts will last longer because of their printed copies). I trust texts.
Nothing much will be left of the mortal man after his death; things with agreed value for future will be probably preserved. For instance, a body of a wealthy person conserved in liquid krypton has a theoretical possibility to be preserved.

Jaan Elken

on June 7, 2011, a day before the opening of A Day After in June 8th.

Exhibition will be open until June 27, 2011.

Supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

Jaan Elken

Biography
1954 Born in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. Family deported from Estonia in 1949
1972–1977 Studied at the State Art Institute of the Estonian SSR (today’s Estonian Academy of Arts) in the department of architecture
1979–1981 Painter’s stipend from Estonian Artists Association
Since 1981 Member of the Estonian Artists Association
1977–1979 Architect at Head Office of Architecture and Planning in Tallinn
1980–1987 Art expert at Tallinn Cultural Council
1987–1988 Painting and drawing teacher at Tallinn Pedagogical Institute
1988–1997 Lecturer at Estonian Academy of Arts (until 1995 Tallinn Art University) in the department of painting
1995–1999 Chairman of the Estonian Painters Association
Since 1997 Professor of painting, University of Tartu, Chair of Painting at the Institute of Cultural Research and Fine Arts
1998–1999 Vice president of Estonian Artists Association
Since 1999 President of Estonian Artists Association

Lives and works in Tallinn and Tartu

Awards
2009 Diploma – Tashkent 5th International Biennale of Contemporary Art, Uzbekistan
2008 Diploma – Colorfest – 1st Minsk International Biennial of Contemporary Painting, Belarus
2007 Order of the White Star 4th class, Republic of Estonia
2006 Badge of Honour of the University of Tartu, Estonia
2006 Kristjan Raud Annual Art Prize, Estonia
2002 ES Sadolin Prize, Estonia
2000 Konrad Mägi Annual Painting Prize, Estonia
1998 Deco Gallery Prize, Estonia
1997 Prize of The Estonian Artists Association (annual exhibition of Estonian painting Confrotations / Agreements)
1996 Half-yearly cultural stipend from the Estonian Ministry of Culture
1994 Half-yearly cultural stipend from the Estonian Ministry of Culture
1884 Prize of Vilnius Town Council, 6th Vilnius Painting Triennial, Lithuania
1983 Prize – Exhibition of Young Artists, Tallinn, Estonia
1982 2nd Triennal of Baltic young artists, diploma, Vilnius, Lithuania
1980 Young Artist of the Year, Estonia
1979 Grand Prix, Triennial of Baltic Young Artists, Vilnius, Lithuania

Solo exhibitions (selection)

2010
Water – ArtDepoo Contemporary Art Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Jaan Elken – Paintings – Architecture and Design Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

2009
Painted poems – The Museum of New Art in Pärnu, Estonia
Back to reality – Draakon Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Paintings – Galerie Sous-Terre, Aalsmeer, Netherlands
Collected works – Tartu Art House, Estonia

2008
Poem for a mattress – ArtDepoo Contemporary Art Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
One picture show – Richard Sagrits Museum/ Karepa Kalame Farm
Museum. The Foundation of Virumaa Museums, Karepa, Estonia

2007
Paintings – Art Gallery of the Parliament of Estonia, Tallinn
Jaan Elken – Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Hot – Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
White light – Gallery 008, Tallinn, Estonia

2006
Entr’ acte – Haus Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Jaan Elken – Paintings 1978–2005 – 24h Gallery e-exhibition

2005
October demonstration – Tartu Art Museum, Estonia
14 paintings – Würth Art Gallery, Assaku, Tallinn, Estonia
Paintings – Gallery Sous -Terre, Lithoijen, The Netherlands
Herbarium – Gallery Viviann Napp, Tallinn
Jaan Elken – Paintings 1978–2005 – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia

2004
Sagrada familia – Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Paintings – Pärnu Town Gallery, Estonia

2003
Mind games – Gallery of Estonian Embassy, Berlin, Germany
Autumn exhibition – SEB Ühispank Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Body chemistry (part of international exhibition Valu) – Pärnu Concert Hall, Estonia

2002
Paintings – Pegasus, Tallinn, Estonia

2001
The quiz – Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

2000
Paintings – See On Studio Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Back to Hyper-reality – Adamson-Eric Museum, branch of the Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia
Body chemistry – Tallinn Art Hall Gallery, Estonia

1999
Messages from reality II (with sculptor Aili Vahtrapuu) –Uusikuva Gallery, Kotka, Finland

1998
Wallpaintings – Sebra Gallery, Tartu, Estonia
Ametropia – Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

1997
Messages from reality – Deco Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Another reality II – Haapsalu Town Gallery, Haapsalu, Estonia
Another reality – Raatuse Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

1996
Art Halinga Gallery, Pärnu County, Estonia
Deco Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

1995
Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

1994
Tallinn Art Hall Gallery, Estonia
Turku Art Centre, Gallery of the Old Town Hall, Turku, Finland

1993
G-Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

1992
Tokko & Arrak Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

1991
Estonian House, Toronto, Canada
Ateljé Kransen, Uppsala, Sweden

1990
Draakon Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

1985
Tallinn Art Salon, Estonia

1980
Tallinn Art Salon, Estonia

Group exhibitions (selection)

2011
Mystics and Moderns: Painting in Estonia before Glasnost. Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum
 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Kakskümmend üks null kaks [Twenty one zero two]. Ruum 312 A. Tam Gallery, Tallinn
IAA exhibition.Instituto Cultural Cabañas, Guadalajara, Mehhiko
Minu erootika [My erotics]. Rakvere Exhibition House
XIV Moscow International Art Salon CHA-2011 – Artist. City. Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia

2010
Estland in Berlin / Brandenburg – Märkischer Künstlerhof, Brieselang, Berlin, Germany
Estonian art – Pinakoteka, Happy Art Museum, Riga, Latvia
Confrontations – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Artists Association – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
2011! Convert! – The Museum of Estonian Architecture, Art centre Rotermann’s Salt Storage, Tallinn, Estonia
Idea and mind – Turku Cathedral, Finland; National Library of Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia
Last painting – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – Tartu Art House, Estonia
Script – Võru Town Gallery; National Library of Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia
House-Party vol. 2 – Exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – Haus Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Blue – Exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – The Museum of New Art in Pärnu, Estonia
 
2009
Tashkent 5th International Biennale of Contemporary Art, Uzbekistan
The world of painting vol. 2 – The annual exhibition of the Estonian Painters Association – Tartu Art House, Estonia
A collection: Selected works I – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia Art Song Festival – Rakvere Theatre, Estonia
Aquarelle without boundaries – The annual exhibition of Estonian Watercolourists Association – Jõhvi Concert Hall, Estonia
Self-exposure – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Artists Association – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
House-Party – Exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – Haus Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Ruum 312 A – place under the sun – Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn,
Estonia
Nord Art 09 – Rendsburg / Büdelsdorf, Germany
Wir sind aus Estland – Galerie Melnikow, Heidelberg; Nordrhein-Westfalen Federal State Parliament, Düsseldorf, Germany
XII Moscow International Art Salon CHA-2009 – Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia
The Accident of Painting – Tartu Art House, Monumental Gallery, Estonia

2008
XL – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – Tartu Art House, Estonia
Paint a Future – Barajas Airport, Madrid, Spain
Overflight – Jaan Elken paintings, Tiit Tummal digital prints – Deco Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Watercolour Bridge – Kuusankoski Art Centre. Kuusankoskitalo Gallery, Kuopio Concert Hall, Finland.
Colorfest I – Minsk International Biennial of Contemporary Painting – Art Gallery of the National Library of Belorus, Minsk, Belarus
Festive Art Summer at Viinistu – Viinistu Art Museum, Estonia
Perfect circle – ArtDepoo Contemporary Art Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Paint a Future 2008 – Museu Histórico de Santa Catarina, Brazil
Awakening – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – The Museum of Estonian Architecture, Art centre Rotermann’s Salt Storage, Tallinn
Border state – Estonian contemporary art – Guangzhou Art Academy Art Museum, China
Vabaduse square – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Artists Association – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia

2007
Eesti maastikud [Estonian landscapes] – 2nd annual exhibition of Linnaehitus Foundation – Tartu Tigutorn, Tartu, Estonia
Peinture pure – International exhibition of contemporary painting – CAM_Casoria Contemporary Art Museum, Naples, Italy
Paint A Future – Château Saint Michel, Rully, France
On the border – Ruum 312A [Group Room 312A] – Narva Museum Art Gallery, Estonia
The art of living – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Artists Association – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
Watercolour choices – The annual exhibition of Estonian Watercolourists Association – Tartu Art House, Estonia

2006
Hits parade – Deco 18 – Deco Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Atelier d’Artista – Villa II Castagno, Gampassi Terme, Italy
Free Willy! – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – Vaal Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Beautiful paintings – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – Aaspere Manor, Estonia
Pintar um futuro – Centro Cultural São Paulo; Museu de Arte de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
Tehnobia – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Artists Association – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
Tallinn–Moskva – State Tretyakov Gallery–150 – Russian Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Tähendusterikas linn [Significant town] – The annual exhibition of the Linnaehitus Foundation – Tartu Art House, Estonia
Collected crises – Estonian Art in the 1990’s – KUMU Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia
Difficult choices – KUMU Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia

2005
Mina ja tema, osa 2 [Me and her, part 2] (with sculptor Anu Põder) – Deco Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn–München, München–Tallinn – Aktionsforum Praterinsel, München, Germany
Paint a Future – Oudheidkundig Museum, St Michielsgestel, Netherlands
Tallinn–Kotka – 12 Estonian Artists in Kotka – Galleria Uusikuva, Kotka, Finland
Message – Jaan Elken, Marko Mäetamm and Antonio Claudio Carvalho (Brazil) – The Museum of New Art in Pärnu, Estonia
Special exhibition of the 16th General Assembly of the IAA (accompanying exhibition 2nd Beijing International Art Biennale) – Hefei, China
Summer tern: Paintings of Valeri Vinogradov, Mari Roosvalt and Jaan Elken – Gallery Viviann Napp, Tallinn, Estonia
Sianoja 2005 – Palacio Marqués del Albaicín, Noja Cantabria, Spain
Newspaper in Estonian Art – Vaal Gallery, itinerant show at Pärnu Art Gallery, Tartu Art House, Viljandi Town Gallery, Estonia
Identities – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Artists Association – Tallinn Art Hall; Narva Museum Art Gallery, Estonia

2004
Ich bin ein Maler – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
Salt of Life – Contemporary art of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – Vartai Gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania
Valu [Pain] – Estonian Sculptors Union and Art Summer joint project – Narva Museum Art Gallery, Estonia
Ruum 312A [Room 312A] – Group exhibition by lecturers from Estonian Academy of Arts and University of Tartu – Viljandi Town Gallery, Estonia
Kunsti remont? [Art repair] 10th Art Summer – Pärnu Concert Hall, Estonia
In one row – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – Tartu Art House, Estonia
MMM Art 2004 (Medana Art) – Gallery Artes, Nova Gorica, Slovenia; Cormons, Italy

2003
Me and another – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Artists Association – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
Estnische Kunst – Ruum 312A [Room 312A] – Kunsthalle Pommernhus, Greifswald, Germany
NEXO – International Painting Exhibition – Toledo, Spain
Academics in Vilnius – Estonian Contemporary Art – Vartai Gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania
Paradise of painting – Gallery 008 – Viru Centre, Tallinn, Estonia
Chart – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
South-Estonian landscape – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Painters Association – Viljandi Town Gallery, Estonia
Destined to living at the same time – Estonian art after World War II – The Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia

2002
On alien territory – Ruum 312A [Room 312A] – Gallery 008, Viru Centre, Tallinn, Estonia
Opening exhibition – Viinistu Art Museum, Estonia
Sõltuvussõltumatus [Dependence. Independence] – The Annal exhibition of the Estonian Artists Association – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
Painting 2002 – The annual exhibition of the Estonian Painters Association, Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
Real abstractionism – Tartu Art House, Estonia
Ars longa – Raatuse Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

2001
Estonian painting in the 20th century – French Senate winter garden, Paris, France
Me and her (with sculptor Anu Põder) – Deco Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
Short Estonian art history – Tartu Art House, Estonia
Neues Aquarell 2 – International Biennale – Kunststation Kleinsassen, Fulda, Germany
Estonian art – 7th stationary exposition – Tartu Art Museum, Estonia
Tartu! Maal! [Tartu! Painting!] – Tartu Art House, Estonia
Me ehitame kapitalismi. Mehitamine [We are building capitalism.To Man] – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Artists Association –
Art Museum of Estonia, Art centre Rotermann’s Salt Storage, Tallinn, Estonia
Baltic Watercolour Triennial – State Museum of Latvia, exhibition hall Arsenal, Riga, Latvia
The 1st Baltic and Nordic painting biennial – Väsby Art Hall and Gallery Vilunda, Väsby, Sweden

2000
Dialogue 2000 versus 1940 – Tartu Art Museum, Estonia
Grosse Kunstausstellung NRW Düsseldorf. Germany
Estonian art at the turn of the Millennium – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia; German Foreign Office Berlin, Germany
Estonian Art – Estonian Perspectives / Déja-vu or recent history of Estonian art – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Artists Association – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
Estonian Art – Estonian Perspectives / Aids in Culture. Loss of immunity in art – The annual exhibition of The Estonian Artists Association – The Art Museum of Estonia, Rotermann’s Salt Storage, Tallinn, Estonia
Ruum 312A [Room 312A] – Estonian contemporary art – Hyvinkää Art Museum; Oulu Art Museum, Finland
Estonian Time – Tartu Art House, Estonia
Spiritual Time 1900–2000 – Tartu Art Museum, Estonia

1999
Painted furniture – Part of exhibition Space and form 2000 – Tallinn Art Hall Gallery, Estonia
Homoeopathic drugstore – Jaan Elken, Kaido Ole, Marko Mäetamm – Tartu Art House, Estonia
Motif – Art summer’99 – Haapsalu Town Gallery, Estonia
Eros – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
Painting’99 – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
Ruum 312A [Room 312A] – Narva Museum Art Gallery, Estonia
2 +1 – Anton Hansen Tammsaare Museum, Tallinn, Estonia

1998
Estonian art at the end of century – Espoo Cultural Centre, Finland
Intohimo [Passion] – Group exhibition by lecturers from Estonian Academy of Arts and University of Tartu – Itämeri Centre, Kellokoski, Finland
Painter – the holy storyteller – Lets talk about men – The Museum of Estonian Architecture, Tallinn, Estonia
Painting’98 – The word of painting – The Estonian Museum of Art, Rotermann’s Salt Storage, Tallinn, Estonia
Freedom of Choice – Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn

1997
Estonian art from the1970s. – Tartu Art Museum, Estonia
Confrontations / Agreements – Annual exhibition of painting in Estonia – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
312A – Chaplin Art Centre, Pärnu, Estonia

1996
Estonia as a sign – 4th annual exhibition of Soros Center for Contemporary Arts – Tartu Art House, Estonia
10th Vilnius Painting Triennial – Lithuania
Fair Aktiv Leben – Düsseldorf, Germany
Abstraction and abstraction – The annual exhibition of Estonian art, Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
Kunst und Umwelt – Güstrower Wollhalle, Güstrow, Germany
Romantik des Nordens – Realität-Utopie-Nostalgie – Artists from Estonia – Krefeld, Germany

1995
Socium – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia

1994
Estonian Town and artists – Tartu Art Museum, Estonia
Starogrod’93 – Gallery U Kallimacha, Torun, Poland

1993
Kunst aus Estland – Großburgwedel, Hannover, Germany
Traditions and Postmodernism – Tretjakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia

1991
Selected paintings from the 1980s – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia

1990
Konst från Estland – Jönköping, Sweden
8th Vilnius Painting Triennial – Lithuania

1989
Konstnärer från Estland – Jaan Elken, Jüri Palm, Sirje Runge –
Konstfrämjandet, Stockholm, Sweden

1988
Estonian art at ESTO – Melbourne, Australia
4th Baltic triennial of young artists – Vilnius, Lithuania

1987
Soviet Estonian Art – The Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia
The photorealistic motif in Estonian Art – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
Environment in the works of artists from Tallinn – Kotka, Finland
7th Vilnius Painting Triennial – Lithuania

1986
Tallinn contemporary painting – Kiel Town Museum, Warleberger Hof; Venice, Italy

1985
Kunst im Frieden für den Frieden – 11th Biennale der Ostseelander – Rostock Art Hall, Germany
Baltic art – Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi, India
3rd Baltic triennial of young artists – Vilnius, Lithuania

1984
6th Vilnius Painting Triennial – Lithuania
Photography and art – Tartu Art Museum, Estonia
The Soviet country youth – Manege, Moscow, Russia

1983
Sowjetische Landschaftsmalerei – Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund, Germany
Nevostoliitton nuorta taidetta [Young Soviet Art] – Helsinki Art Hall, Pori Art Museum, Finland
Ung Sovjetisk Kunst [Young Soviet Art] – Sønderjyllands Art Museum, Denmark; Paris, France

1982
Painting and graphic art – Ilja Beškov Gallery, Pleven, Bulgaria
2nd Baltic triennial of young artists – Vilnius, Lithuania

1980
Tashkent ’80 – Union-wide exhibition of young artists – Tashkent, Uzbekistan

1979
Estonian painting 1969–1979 – Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia
1st Baltic triennial of young artists – Vilnius, Lithuania

Since 1978
annual exhibitions of Estonian art
 
Public and private collections

Art Museum of Estonia
Tartu Art Museum, Estonia
Tallinn Art Hall Foundation, Estonia
Viinistu Art Museum, Estonia
The Museum of New Art in Pärnu, Estonia
University of Tartu Art Museum, Estonia
Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers, The State University of
New Jersey. The Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist
Art from the Soviet Union
CAM_Casoria Contemporary Art Museum, Naples, Italy
The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Ivanovsky Regional Art Museum, Russia
The Picture Gallery of Balashikha Art Museum, Moscow region, Russia
Nikanor Onatsky Regional Art Museum in Sumy, Ukraine
The Pavlodar Regional Art Museum, Kazakhstan
Valuyskiy Art Museum, Russia
International Confederation of Artists Unions, Moscow, Russia
Chinese Artists Association, Beijing
Vilnius Town Council art collection, Lithuania
Güstrow Town Council art collection, Germany
Konstfrämjandet, Sweden
Matthew Bown Gallery, London
European Parliament, Brussels
Estonian Ministry of Culture
Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia
Nord University, Estonia
Sampo Bank, Estonia
ES Sadolin, Estonia
Saku Brewery, Estonia
Ruukki, Estonia
Trigon Capital Ltd, Estonia
Port of Tallinn, Estonia
EKE Invest, Swissotel, Estonia
Pühajärve Puhkekodu AS, Estonia
Alver Trummal Architects, Estonia
Law Firm Sirel & Partners, Estonia
In private collections in Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Spain, Poland,Slovenia, Russia, USA, Germany, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Australia, Brazil