Urmas-Ott

The title of the exhibition “Silence Between the Fall and Rise of Mankind” of young Estonian jewelry artists’ grouping Urmas-Ott referents to ephemeral and transcendental period of time, which clear boundaries are not possible to identify. This period of time is rather a product of the artists’ imagination, which obeys to the time categories, determined by artists themselves, therefore, a format of the exhibition this time will be somewhat unconventional and indefinite, conditioned only by a fantasy of the artists.

Grouping Urmas-Ott (Urmas Lüüs and Hans-Otto Ojaste) was established three years ago in Estonian Academy of Arts, Department of Jewelry and Blacksmithing. The main purpose of these two artists collaboration – to build a unique aesthetic platform, which generates a fresh view to jewelry and exhibiting. Urmas-Ott has already held three solo exhibitions (“DIY”, “DIY2”, “SHELTER 2415”) in Estonia as well as has participated in several group exhibitions in both, the homeland and abroad (Israel, Italy, Germany) since 2010. Together with group “Postinstrumentum” the artists constantly present experimental musical performances. In their works, the artists are not limited to the only one type of art. They use different medias and combine them into one big living organism, where jewelry forms the heart. Soundscapes, kinetic installations, site-specific works, photos, etc. – all of this form their constructed perception of space and time, which builds a bridge between the artist and the viewer.

The jewelry created by grouping Urmas-Ott is designed for their own fictional post-apocalyptic world, where it should become an ally of a human being and help him to survive in the changed existence conditions. And what is like that post-apocalyptic world, constructed by the artists? This is a spiritual existential dimension, based on exaltation of human spiritual values. In this post-apocalyptic fiction artificial values and conformist sense are destroyed and naturalness, reticence and primeval nature come to the first place. This is a world where a flint weighs more than diamonds; therefore, one of the most important aspects in jewelry becomes the re-evaluation of materials. In the conception of this post-apocalyptic era, formed by grouping Urmas-Ott, jewelry is the carrier of information, spirituality and memories. Pieces of jewelry, created by the artists, are practical, without any discounts on visual aesthetics.