Seagull/Talking Heads, Villu Jaanisoo, 2006 It was certainly an eye opener for me to see the permanent collection of the KUMU. As if that wasn’t enough, I was also treated to the Latin American Art temporary exhibition with works by Diego Rivera and Fernando Botero. On this post, I’ll show images from the permanent collection only as there was quite a lot of Latin art on display that merits a separate post. Come back to read all about it. Villu Jaanisoo is a sculpture graduate of the Estonian Academy of Arts where he also served as the head of the Department of Sculpture in the 2000s. He uses non traditional materials for his sculptural pieces like rubber, plywood, sound and others. In the Seagull installation, he took 86 busts of children, heroes, Stalin from the Museum collection to create a roomful of “heads” backed by an archive of interviews conducted with these subjects playing on repeat and creating a cacophony of sounds in the exhibition room, hence the moniker Talking Heads. ...
Candombe, Carlos Páez Vilaró Uruguay's Carnaval is a spellbinding experience that showcases the country's rich Afro-Uruguayan cultural heritage. While it may not be as widely known as its Brazilian or Argentine counterparts, Uruguay's Carnaval has its own distinct flavor and charm. What is also not widely known is that Uruguay’s Carnaval is the longest celebration of its kind in the world. It starts in late January and continues to March every year. The Carnaval celebrated in Uruguay has deep Afro-Uruguayan roots dating back to the 18th century when enslaved Africans brought their musical and dance traditions to the country. These traditions live on in the annual celebration of Carnaval featuring impassioned drumming, engaging dance performances and dazzling costumes. The pulse of Uruguay's Carnaval is the Candombe rhythm, a style of music and dance that originated in the African diaspora. The pulsating beat of the Candombe drums echoes through the streets, inspiring ...