Leonhard Lapin

Leonhard Lapin is the classic and the enfant terrible of Estonian contemporary art, constantly followed by scandals, lewd legends and envious grumbling. Lapin confidently steps on the cornea of mediocrity, enjoying the situation to the fullest. Loved by his muses, the artist is not ashamed of his dalliances. He still has plenty at the grand old age of 70. The new Estonian film opens the doors to a disappearing Bohemianism, in which racy vocabulary reigns instead of political correctness.

This film portraits Leonhard Lapin, who becomes one of the most outstanding avant-garde artists on the Soviet Estonian art and architecture scene. Lapin is especially inspired by pre-war Estonian funk architecture and Russian constructivists. In contrast, the bleak mass production on the actual building arena provokes protest and anger. He finds many like-minded people, and his artistic circle of friends is diverse and active. Several groups grow out of Lapin’s inner circle, among them the legendary group of architects that the Finnish architect Komonen started calling ‘the Tallinn school’. The rebel Lapin becomes the leading avant-garde artist of Soviet Estonia, whose diverse portfolio includes paintings, graphics and architectural drawings, architectonic works and architectural projects, performances and happenings, writings and poetry, and his own theory of architecture and colour. His fiery temper gets him into conflicts with the authorities as well as passionate human relations.