Konrad Mägi

Konrad Mägi
at Dulwich Picture Gallery
until 12 July
Monday 4 May at 6:00pm

It is always exciting to discover a new, brilliant artist, and Dulwich Picture Gallery continues its remarkable work in introducing us to great artists from – well, I want to say ‘further North’ – Scandinavia (for example, the recent Anna Ancher), and in this case, beyond the North Sea, heading East to the Baltic, and Estonia. It’s safe to say that I know very little about Estonian art, but with Konrad Mägi we are promised the greatest exponent of the 20th century. I can’t measure that – but he is wonderful, rich in colour, full of emotion, and sensitive to mood.

Born in Southern Estonia, he studied in St Petersburg before travelling to Helsinki and Paris, spending two years in Norway before returning to his native land, picking up influences along the way and turning them into something purely personal. There seem to be echoes of artists as diverse as Munch, Monet, Seurat, late Cezanne, early Kandinsky and even Franz Marc – but some of this could be purely coincidental. At the same time he manages to be entirely himself – an artist who is both vibrant and exciting. 

Please remember, I do not record my talks.