Architect and artist Vilen Künnapu celebrated his 75th birthday in the summer of 2023, bringing his work into focus even more. Haus Gallery organised his anniversary exhibition at the end of the summer, and is now extending the artistic theme of this phenomenal figure of the local cultural space to the premises of Swedbank.

Vilen Künnapu (1948) is known as a cult architect who began to paint visibly and consistently only a decade ago, yet visual art has always run parallel to his architectural practice. In addition to the paintings he is known for today, Vilen has also created assemblages, collages, and drawings. His literary activities should also be noted, in particular his long-standing work as a meritorious lecturer at several Estonian and Scandinavian universities. Künnapu’s attractive, multi-faceted and talented personality is a landmark in the local cultural scene and is also internationally recognised. Künnapu dares to move in his own, different way. When painting, the artist is intuitive and energetic. In terms of form, he uses the same approach and techniques as in architecture, creating his own personal city. Indeed, Vilen’s paintings mainly depict the city, ruled by happy naivety, pure childlike colour schemes, and architectural eclecticism. In his style, Künnapu brings to life idea spaces with no boundaries between eras, using the city and especially his home city of Tallinn as a symbolic source of inspiration.

A dozen of Vilen Künnapu’s paintings depicting the theme of the city will be on display in the private banking department. Vilen Künnapu’s roaringly bright urban paintings provide an exciting contrast to the panoramic views of the winter-grey weather that can be seen from the windows of the bank. Expressive paintings with arrays of buildings intertwine with boundary markers and intersecting lines familiar from the architect’s drawings, and here and there with figures from Norse mythology, such as fish or birds, creating a personal mystery. Vilen Künnapu invites us to take a different look at what is familiar, and to see the unambiguous in a much richer way, encouraging everyone to interpret spaces and worlds in their own creative way. Künnapu’s avant-garde way of thinking throughout his career, both as an architect and as an artist, is attractive and inspiring.

The exhibition at Swedbank will remain open until 1 March 2024.

Exhibition curator: Piia Ausman