Vello Vinn


Vello Vinn is an Estonian printmaker.

Life and work

Vello Vinn was born in Sõrve, Saaremaa on 4 October 1939. He studied English philology at the University of Tartu in 1959 to 1962, and art in the Estonian Academy of Arts from 1963 to 1968 where he graduated in the field of glass art. In 1968 he promptly ditched glass for print. His specialty became etching and drypoint. In the nineties he participated in the Estonian 'PARA'-Surrealist movement. The works of Vello Vinn form a noteworthy example of the oeuvre of an Estonian printmaker from the late 1960s and early 1970s, and they boast a holistic and emphatically unique image system. Vinn’s highly original visual world is grounded in his mastery of various printmaking techniques, delicate treatment of images and witty associations. The artist’s play with space and images,
his ability to notice details and different levels of meaning and to put together a new whole out of these details offer the public a unique viewing experience. Besides playful images, Vinn’s prints often present witty wordplay and warm absurd humour, which invite viewers to join in the artist’s thought and creative processes.
[Image:Vello Vinn rockets 1971.jpg|thumb|Rockets (1971)]
[Image:Vello Vinn Kaksipidine 2010.jpg|thumb|With two sides (2010)]

Solo exhibitions

This is only a partial listing.

Awards