Course on Soviet Architectural Heritage

In Estonia, in the last decade, the heritage of the Soviet period has been evaluated with an open eye and the best of it has been protected. The Department of Cultural Heritage and Conservation of the Estonian Academy of Arts organizes from 03 – 07 October for the second time, an intensive course where the architecture and related monumental art of the Soviet period  are discussed in comparison with other Eastern European countries.

When in 2020 the heritage of Georgia and Lithuania were under observation, this year it is the heritage of Bulgaria and Romania. On Tuesday, guest lecturer Dora Ivanova will focus on the restoration of the controversial Buzludzha monument and Dumitru Rusu on the legacy of the socialist period in Eastern Europe, especially Romania and Moldova. On Wednesday, John Patrick Leach will talk about the legacy of totalitarianism in Europe. On Monday, Laura Ingerpuu, a PhD student at EKA, will talk about Estonian architecture, and Anu Soojärv, who recently defended her master’s thesis at EKA on the same topic, will talk about Estonian monumental art. The study trip of the course leads to Sillamäe.
The course is coordinated by Riin Alatalu.

Program:

3.10 A-400
17:00 Riin Alatalu, EKA
Introduction. Dissonance of Soviet Architecture in Different Contexts.

17:30 Laura Ingerpuu, EKA
The Best of Soviet Architecture in Estonia. Social, political and Cultural Context.

19:00 Anu Soojärv, TLU, EKA
Monumental-Decorative Art in Soviet Estonia – Soviet Heritage or Estonian Heritage?

4.10 A-501
17:00 Dumitru Rusu, (B.A.C.U.)
Socialist Period Heritage. The Ambitions and Outcomes of the Bureau for Art and Urban Research. Socialist Heritage in the Former Eastern Bloc Countries  (Romania and Republic of Moldova)

18:30 Dora Ivanova, Buzludzha Project
Socialist Heritage in Bulgaria. The Ambitions and Outcomes of Buzludzha Project.

5.10 A-400
17:00 Patrick Leach, Atrium
The Heritage of Totalitarian Regimes. The Network of Atrium.

18:30 Anu Soojärv
Why Do We Need Soviet “Red” Monuments.

6.10 A-400
17:00 Anu Soojärv
Applied Artists as Creators of Monumental-Decorative Art in Soviet Estonia. Leo Rohlin.

7.10 A-101
17:00 Riin Alatalu, EKA
Protection of Socialist Architecture and Soviet Monuments in Estonia. International Networks.

More info: Riin Alatalu (riin.alatalu@artun.ee)