Valdur Ohakas: A Pioneer of Estonian Art

Valdur Ohakas (1925 – 1998) was a renowned Estonian artist, known for his rich use of brown tones, further enriched with greys and ochre tones. His “brown landscapes” were extremely popular in the 1980s and 90s, captivating audiences with their romantic sense of nature. Ohakas was a key figure in the Estonian art scene from the late 1950s, and his importance in the development of contemporary Estonian art and the renewal of painting has only been emphasized more in the last decade. His work, which incorporated elements of abstractionism, cubism, surrealism, and fauvism, gained increasing attention for its innovative form and unexpected turns. Rather than faithfully reflecting reality, Ohakas was more interested in experimenting with colors and forms and testing their interrelationships and transformations.