Erik Schmidt 1925-2014 Vormsi saarel. 1950

There is not much information of Erik Schmidt, who was born on the island Naissaar. In addition to the denial of the escaped artists in the official Soviet rhetorics, Schmidt has also always stayed slightly apart from the traditional cultural centres of Estonians living abroad, and he has been living on Mallorca already for decades. The captain’s son left with the family for Sweden in the year 1943, but received the artistic education in the best possible place – in the Paris of the beginning of the 1950ies. This has been followed by several painting trips to South-Africa, France, Spain and running of his own gallery in Sweden, but again and again Schmidt returns both in his novels and paintings to the simple Estonian life on an island.
“Vormsi saarel” carries a deep respect and strong commemoration towards the homeland, which has been brought onto the canvas with Mallorca-like bright light. We can only admire the ways, how Schmidt has been able to restore from his memory in addition to everyday objects – sharpening of the skythe, doorsteps, hayrakes, a loft shutter – also the summertime mood and – what’s most important – the light. In a strong light have been painted out the tender contours of house logs and are brought forward the shadows of an old woman and man, the barn roof is absorbing new shades and the lower part of the sky is starting to glow.