The 143rd Anniversary of the Birth of Konrad Mägi was Commemorated at Otepää and Pühajärve
The 143rd anniversary of the birth of Konrad Mägi was commemorated on 1 November with the opening of stands marking locations where he painted in Otepää and at Lake Pühajärve.
Konrad Mägi visited Otepää in Southern Estonia on several occasions when he was summering at Lake Pühajärve (1918–1920). Mägi often painted Lake Pühajärve but he has also depicted the church at Otepää and the town’s streets. Existential tones became more prominent in Mägi’s oeuvre in this period. He perceived ever more tensions and sacredness in nature.
The works on the stands at Otepää and Lake Pühajärve are from the collections of the Art Museum of Estonia and Viinistu Art Museum, and similarly from the Estonian Students’ Society and from a private collection.
Otepää stand
Pühajärve stand
The stands were set up in cooperation with the Otepää Rural Municipal Government on the corner of the intersection of Valga Highway and Tehvandi põik near the National Geographic yellow frame, and near the GMP Pühajärve restaurant at the start of the beach promenade. Chairman of the Board of the Konrad Mägi Foundation Enn Kunila and the art historian Eero Epner spoke on site at the opening. Mayor of Otepää Rural Municipality Jaanus Barkala greeted attendees at the opening. The Otepää artist Reet Ohna also gave a speech. Kaidi Pajumaa, the director of creative matters for Otepää Kultuurikeskused [Otepää Cultural Centres], looked after the musical and verbal side of the opening, accompanied by Kristjan Luik on guitar.
The Konrad Mägi Foundation erects stands to commemorate those important places in the Estonian landscape where outstanding works were painted by the painter Konrad Mägi. Stands have already been opened in Kuressaare and Kihelkonna Rural Municipality in Saaremaa, and on Vilsandi Island.