Priit Pärn Exhibition "Puravik" in Tallinn: Charcoal Drawings Colored with Wine and Tea

Legendary animation filmmaker and artist Priit Pärn discussed his charcoal graphic creation process on the Classic Radio show "Kunstiministeerium," revealing that many of his works are colored with red wine and black tea. Pärn's exhibition "Puravik," which brings together his charcoal graphics from 1984 onwards, is open at Tallinn City Gallery until July 5, 2026.

Tallinn City Gallery is hosting Priit Pärn's charcoal graphic exhibition "Puravik" until early July, showcasing the artist's drawings from 1984 onwards. On the Classic Radio show "Kunstiministeerium," Pärn opened up about his creative methods in a surprisingly candid conversation with host Aleksander Metsamärt.

Red Wine and Black Tea as Palette

One of the most striking details about Pärn's work: the color in his pieces does not come from classical art materials. "I have a very large number of works colored with red wine and black tea," the artist admitted. He also explained that charcoal can be smudged using an apple slice or banana peel, which produces quite different results than a regular hand.

Exhibition curator Tamara Luuk wryly confirmed Pärn's carelessness with his works: "Priit is not very careful. You shouldn't touch his pieces with gloves, because he himself might stumble into them or spill some tea or coffee on them." Pärn himself emphasized that spilling tea on works is not accidental—it is part of the creative process.

The Creative Path Began with Caricature

Priit Pärn recalled that his long creative journey began in 1968, when he started systematically publishing caricatures. At the same time, he was studying biology at the University of Tartu. "Caricature was my main occupation in the mid-1980s. Then I realized this was enough for me," he said. In 1975, Pärn made a radical decision, left biology and went straight to the Tallinnfilm animation studio.

In 1982, economic conditions worsened in the Soviet Union and culture began to be restricted. "When the economy goes down, the first thing that gets shut down is culture. I understood that I could no longer make the films I wanted," Pärn explained. The crisis led him back to his long-held dream, intaglio printing technique. In 1984, he joined the Artists' Union, which gave him a studio.

Charcoal and Space

Charcoal drawing is for Pärn a physical and spatial activity. "Drawing with charcoal was something completely different. The larger the surface, the more enjoyable the work," he described. The artist's largest charcoal drawing measures 3 by 6 meters. The paper is often taped to the wall during work, and the dialogue between the blank page and the artist develops gradually-some of Pärn's charcoal drawings have been fixed 15 times, according to him. "It's like a narrowing corridor: the further I go, the smaller my freedom becomes and the flattening of activity," he compared the creative process.

The best background music for drawing charcoal pictures, according to Pärn, is blues. When a picture seems boring, he wipes away the unfixed image with a piece of textile and starts again; something always remains on the paper, creating a new starting point.

The "Puravik" exhibition is open at Tallinn City Gallery until July 5, 2026.