Raivo Korstnik
(1932–1992)
Vääna. 1992
Oil, cardboard. 40 x 50.5 cm (framed)
It is obvious, but also complicated to express in words, why certain landscape forms or places find more artists’ attention than others. Vääna beach has been depicted often, but it is complicated to tell, whether this has been caused by the large number of summer cottages located there or it has happened just by chance. The landscape is nothing extraordinary: a strip of beach, stones in water, the forest. Absolutely typical Estonian landscape. But on Korstnik’s painting we suddenly understand, why the summer cottages and chance have nothing to do with it. The artist actually does want to paint something characteristic to Estonia, the landscape that can be recognized and that is homely, which may not say anything to a foreigner, which maybe even seems grey, but which means so much for everyone here: the past and the future, being at home and going abroad, the roots and the essence.