Exhibition at the Delta Study Building. Olev Soans. Great Lifetime Work – The Estonian Picture Atlas

From 23 January until the end of June, the Delta Learning Center hosts the exhibition “A Great Lifetime Work – The Estonian Picture Atlas” by Olev Soans. The exhibition reveals the lifetime work of an outstanding artist and cultural figure, who has left a deep impression on the map of Estonia’s historical memory. Displayed on the walls of the Delta Learning Center are over twenty-five maps by Olev Soans, depicting culture, history, and architecture. The exhibition curators are European Commission employees Maive and Jüri Rute.

Starting from Olev Soans’ 100th birthday (29 May 2025), his works have been on display at various exhibitions, aimed at contributing to the restoration of the former recognition of Estonian pictorial maps across Estonia. Exhibitions reached Vormsi and Saaremaa, Esna Gallery, Järva-Jaani, Käru Museum, Wittenstein Activity Museum, and Vändra Cultural Center, as well as Estonia’s representation in Brussels. In addition to Tartu, exhibitions are open at Tallinn University of Technology and its affiliated Estonian Maritime Academy (maritime and islands). Concurrently with the exhibition at the Delta Learning Center, one can explore the author’s nature and rural pictorial maps at the Estonian University of Life Sciences Metsamaja.

According to Maive Rute, Olev Soans’ cultural-historical maps convey an important message of community collaboration and solidarity, of endurance even through difficult times. “These works offer rediscovery for older people and the joy of discovery for younger ones. It is an opportunity for deep exploration and taking time,” said Maive Rute.

Olev Soans: I started with the first map in 1973. I was working on my candidate thesis at the time, which took a lot of time and energy. I was attuned to the wavelength of scientific thinking, and this playing with the cultural-historical map fit well with that (Martti Soosaar in "Graphic Artist Olev Soans," Rahva Hääl, 29.05.1985).

Olev Soans (1925–1995) was a legendary lecturer in drawing and plastic anatomy at ERKI. The exhibition allows one to delve into and discover how the artist, together with scientists and like-minded individuals, has put together various layers and themes from the diversity of Estonia’s history, nature, and intellectual heritage. In a 1985 interview, the artist said (Candidates for State Award. Graphic Artist Olev Soans, Rahva Hääl, 29.05.1985): “When I completed the first map, I boldly dreamed of an atlas with six maps. A few years passed, and the plans swelled to a dozen. Now, with twenty maps, I feel like thirty should be enough.”

Olev Soans' picture atlas includes, in addition to the title page in copper engraving and general Estonian cultural history, maps of literary history, sports, theater, facets of Estonian history (navigation, wars, uprisings, national awakening), nearly ten architectural maps and monument restoration, agricultural history maps, nature and nature conservation, animals (separately mammals, birds, and fish). Cities such as Tallinn and Tartu received their own maps, and a pictorial map of the University of Tartu was completed for its 350th anniversary.

Art scholar Leo Gens praised the creativity of the pictorial maps in the overview of the spring exhibition at the Tallinn Art Hall: “I would dare to state that the truly creative achievement is Olev Soans' already completed cultural-historical maps exhibited at the show. [...] In the 17th century, baroque-style, large-format graphic sheets created using the etching technique, professional schemes, and artwork are combined into a whole. [...] Olev Soans has managed to integrate buildings, ships, and fish into the map so that they maintain informativeness while becoming organic components of the artistic fabric. The text is inseparably linked with the decorative whole. The map ‘Gothic Architecture in Estonia’ has an especially stylish effect; the use of different colour tones elevates the graphic sheet, emphasising the unique charm of the stylisation of old maps” (Leo Gens, First Part of the Spring Exhibition, Rahva Hääl, 4.4.1982).

During the Soviet occupation, many Estonian scientists and artists were convinced that art and science are closely related. Many artists collaborated with scientists, and there was lively cultural and exhibition activity between universities and research institutions, organising discussions on the synergy between science and art. Soans, along with Georg Loogna, compiled and illustrated a textbook, "Plastic Anatomy: Function and Form in Visual Arts" (1964) and furnished ERKI with a unique anatomical art cabinet in the context of the USSR. In 1975, he defended his candidate thesis (currently equivalent to a PhD, under a non-stationary aspirant program at the Pedagogy Department of Tartu State University).

Interest in Estonian culture and history, nature, and humans arose during the candidate thesis: “... Well, I got several impulses for making the first map. I'm not sure which was decisive. First, it was this ‘wavelength,’ then interest in cultural history, and the desire to create something akin to the admired old engraved maps, such as Ludwig Mellin's rare ‘Livonian Atlas’ (1810). And not least of inspiration was our varied coastline, beautifully shaped islands, as well as Lake Peipsi and Lake Võrtsjärv. I've still remained a graphic artist at heart, even though I do infographics” (Rahva Hääl, 29.05.1985).

Soans created a unique and fine system of graphic maps depicting connections, events, and natural heritage as graphic pictograms. In about 20 years, approximately 40 large pictorial maps of Estonia were created, involving over 80 collaborators, consultants, and assistants, including Lennart Meri, Jaan Eilart, and Gustav Ernesaks.

The artist's interest in mapping Estonia's historical cultural memory attracted a large number of like-minded individuals. The ongoing creation and publication of maps became highly anticipated major events by the public: „Layer by layer, Soans continues to represent the same patch of land with its meaningful places, people, objects, and buildings, both from more distant and recent times, along with animals, birds, fish, and trees. [...] The content involved the participation of dozens of experts, from art historians (Villem Raam, Juhan Maiste et al.) to biologists (Mati Kaal, Tiit Randla et al.). A particularly interesting group of consultants were those dealing with maritime history (Ants Pärna, Armas Luige, Bruno Pao, Uno Laur, Heino Kuivjõgi). The amount of information on the maps was immense, so you could discover details for hours. Soans' series of maps eventually became so extensive that they couldn't fit on one exhibition space and were divided between four memory institutions in Järvamaa“ (Juhan Kreem "Eile nägin ma Eestimaad" Sirp, 13.06.2025).

Olev Soans (1925–1995) was an Estonian artist, graphic artist, and art lecturer. He worked as a book illustrator and poster artist, and from 1961, he worked as an art lecturer at the Estonian State Art Institute (ERKI, now the Estonian Academy of Arts). He was a member of the Estonian Artists' Union (since 1951). Since 1975, he has dedicated his work to the creation of cultural-historical maps using intaglio printing techniques, depicting Estonian history, nature, architecture, and cultural history.