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Leonhard (Leo) Lapin (born 29. December 1947 in Räpina) is an Estonian architect, artist, architecture historian and a poet, Emeritus Professor at Estonian Academy of Arts. Was a forerunner of avangard movement in Estonia, influenced Estonian art and architecture through his works and writings during the postwar 20th century. Lapin has been active in: functionalism, suprematism, technological futurism and pop art. As an artist has created graphics, paintings, performances, happenings and published several articles, books and poetry collections. Has influenced many students as a teacher. Sees architecture and art mainly as a spiritual activity. ^[1]

Biography

• 1965 graduated Räpina High School.
• 1966–1971 studied architecture at ERKI
• 1970 got introduced to Academic Oriental Association, where he learned about Buddhism.
• 1971–1974 worked at Tallinn´s Restoration Government as an architect under known Estonian art scientist Helmi Üprus and discovered Estonia´s architectural heritage of 20. century.
• 1977 member of Estonian Artists Association
• 1982 member of Estonian Association of Architects
• 1990 lector at Estonian Academy of Arts
• 1995 professor at Estonian Academy of Arts
• 1991–2003 Estonian Association of Architects publication Ehituskunst head editor
• 1992–1998 lecturer at Helsinki Art School Maa
• 1992 member of Nordic–Baltic architectural triennal committee
• 1993–1996 member of Art School Maa governing body
• 1994 guest professor of Architecture Department at Helsinki Institute of Technology
• 1995–1997 and 2003–2005 he was the chairman of visual and applied arts foundation capital in Cultural Endowment of Estonia
• 1997–2000 chairman of “Space and Form 2000” committee
• 1997, 2002 and 2005 guest professor at Estonian Music Academy
• 1998–2001 director of Tallinn Art Council
• 2001–2002 professor of Visual Arts Department at University of Taru
• 2012 became Emeritus Professor at Estonian Academy of Arts

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Personal Life

Leonhard Lapin is Sofia Lapin’s (Sõrmus) and Rudolf Mõttus’s son. More relatives: half-brother, Doctor of Phylosophy Voldemar Lapin, half-brother Anatoli Mettus and half-sister Valentina Olli (Lapin). In the father’s side of the family men worked as tailors. Mother worked as the director of sewing manufactury. That is why Lapin was thinking to study fashion at Estonain Academy of Arts, but his eldest brother told him to study architecture. The family name Lapin comes from mother’s firs husband, who was Latvian, Rudolfs Lapins (lapins means fox in Latvian). After family name’s Russification it became Lapin. He became close with Oriental Associacion and Buddhist mahamudra teachings, that became base for his future composition teaching method. 1969–1982 was married to Sirje Runge. Later was married to architect Kristel Jaanus. 1991 daughter Anna Maria was born and in 1996 son Aleksander. ^[6]

Creativity

Art and Literature

Leonhard Lapin began active work during 1960. and raised rapidly to leading avant-garde artist position, but also organizer and theorist. Was a member of avant-garde artists movement SOUP´69. His grapics brought him international attention, especially series where he addressed blending of hunam being and a maschine. As an artist has created ink drawings, grapics in silk screen printing, gravure printing and lithography techniques, paintings in watercolor, gousche and oil, architectons, sculptures and installations. He also did artworks in pop art in the late 1960s, influenced by Andy Warhol^[7] Wrote articles and poetry that criticized Soviet art ideologies, that were spread as manuscripts. Later the poems have been published as collections underpseudonym Albert Trapeež. Lapin made his first architecton in 1976 and it was named „Monument to Tallinn“. It was Lapin who brought the word “architecton” to Estonian and Finnish launguages. The notion comes from 20th century Russian avant-garde artist Kazimir Malevich, for whom “architecton” meaned the home of future human being. Lapin also created a notion of “own space“ („omaruum“ in Estonian) that he deals with in his composition teachings. ^[8]. Lapin has conducted first happenings in Estonia, also has staged performances in theather. H ehas been invited to very many exhibitions in ohter countries, his worcs are in national and private collections all over the world. Lapin´s concept of space and void has been source of expression of his ideas. H ehas written many books on this topic. Leo has an individual emotional writing style, too subjectively for academic writing, which does not mean that his texts have no historiographic value. ^{[9] [10]}

Architecture

Lapin belonged to the generation of “young angry architects“ together with other young architects who graduated from Estonian Academy of Arts during the 1970s. At that time L. Lapin was a persona non grata among architects but in the arts sphere he was recognized as an enfant terrible. Other group members were Vilen Künnapu, Tiit Kaljundi, Avo-Himm Looveer, Ain Padrik, Jüri Okas, Jaan Ollik and Ignar Fjuk, joined by a bit older architects Veljo Kaasik and Toomas Rein). They called themselves “The Tallinn Ten“ but they can be put under wider term „Tallinn School“^[11] because it covered wider circles of architects, artists, designers and engineers of that generation. During the Soviet time acting as a group was more effective because they could accomplish more than while standing alone. The main message of the group was that architecture is a form of art. The greater goal was to change architecture, environment, people´s attitude towards them and to give sense to contemporary society and culture. ^[12] “Tallinn’s School“ experimental architects and artists, but mostly Leonhard Lapin dealt with the history of architecture, mainly by writing but also in other art forms. During his education, future architect got acquainted with the functionalism of the 1930´s, that had strong dissaproval from the Soviet regimen. But Lapin also ardoured early Soviet avant-garde art and Russian constructivism, so he could not be accused of treason by the government. New term neofunctualism was grew out of Lapin’s plastic architecture with maschine aesthetics. Tallinn School’s architects could express themselves mainly through private house projects since other types of constructions were strictly regulated. Although in the course of creating an outstanding and individual exterior, the suitability into the surroundings and the comfortable usage of the interior spaces were often neglected. During the 1976-77 Lapin developed his houses according to his graphics series „Maschines“. A good example is Villa Valeri I, located in Laagri, Estonia, that is a equivalent to his work “Maschine-architecture III or Villa Valeri I“ (1976). ^[13] The paradox of Lapin is that although he executed contemporary avant-garde, in his writings he dealt with historical styles and notions. Through creation of a linkage between earlyer history of architecture and art and also by dealing with terminological problems Leonhard wanted to raise the awareness of the Estonia´s society.

"In 1978 we presented 'pure ideas', as our aim was to show architecture as an independent form of art, a manifestation of the spiritual, but also as an independent and influential feature that played a part in social processes."^[14][15]