The Chief Executive Officer, Kaubamaja, Estonia

I am writing to express my concerns about the treatment by your Tartu store of Estonian artist Fideelia-Signe Roots. Her Valentine’s Day art installation was thought-provoking and original. However, all art that confronts social prejudice (and perhaps mores) will evoke a negative response from some viewers. In the case of the Valentine’s Day installation, it was important for the Tartu store to respect the distinction between the artist’s values and intentions and those of the store and its marketing department. As Voltaire said, “However much I disagree with your view, I will defend to the end your right to express it.” And over the last week it is this distinction, which underpins European Union society, that your Tartu store has most disappointingly failed to respect. In two other matters Fideelia Signe-Roots has been subject to treatment that deny her the rights accorded to artists (and indeed individuals) in the European Union. First, she was ordered not to photograph her own work. I know of no government, place of education, institution, or business in the Union that sanctions such a prohibition. Second, after Fideelia-Signe Roots had agreed to dismantle her installation, she arrived at the store to find that it had already been taken down. This behaviour is both immensely disrespectful of the artist and an attack on the rights enjoyed by artists in the European Union. I can understand such philistine behaviour taking place in Stalin’s Soviet Union, but surely not in an EU member in 2008. It seems to be a case of - Stalin is dead! Long live Kaubamaja. Artistic freedom from censorship is sacrosanct in a free society. For this reason the club to which I belong has recently supported the rights of a young English poet to write poems expressing values with which we ourselves profoundly disagree. Perhaps Fideelia-Signe Roots’ case ought to be aired here in the United Kingdom too. I wonder, though, if this will be necessary. I am sure that the treatment of Fideelia-Signe Roots by your Tartu staff is entirely at odds with the values and respect for artistic freedom that normally characterises Kaubajama. If indeed we are talking about an aberration rather than a matter of company policy, the solution seems simple: give Fideelia-Signe Roots an apology and invite her to install her installation in your Tallinn store. I would appreciate a prompt reply.

Kind Regards,

Ernest Carwithen

The Answer

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your letter expressing your concern regarding the misunderstanding that occurred as part of Tartu Art Month.I would like to assure you that this is an entirely normal situation in which a company has a clear vision and set of values and tries to follow them in all of its operations, including the design of its display windows. Promoting violence, connecting children with weapons and offending specific individuals, which is what Fideelia-Signe did, do not in any way accord with our principles. Nor was this approach in harmony with the other aspects of our Valentine’s Day campaign; rather it worked against them. I feel I should also point out that your references to freedom of speech and human rights in the European Union are misplaced in the circumstances, and even more so your comparisons to the regime and censorship of the Stalin era. It seems that you are not very well informed of the nature of our differences of opinion with Fideelia-Signe Roots, and that you have a slightly different understanding of Stalinism. Expressing such opinions in the Stalin era would most likely have seen the artist and Kaubamaja’s director of marketing and CEO sent to prison or, worse, simply shot. I nevertheless feel it is important to stress that we have nothing against art, artists or the artwork they produce inspired by their different values and beliefs – we are, after all, one of the main exhibitors of Tartu Art Month. However, there is a right place for every piece of art based on its form and content and that place is not always private company premises or public space.Something that is suitable for a store’s display window is not necessarily going to be suitable for an art gallery, and vice versa. I am sure that the artist would be able to find many more appropriate places to exhibit her socially critical work and views than in a shopping centre window. It is of course regrettable that Fideelia-Signe did not feel it necessary to communicate the message of her work to us in advance or let us know what she would be using; as a result, she did a lot of work for nothing. Unfortunately, these were not things we could require her to provide in writing. As regards your proposal to allow the artist to design the display windows of Tallinna Kaubamaja, we must regrettably inform you that we feel this is neither necessary nor possible. As a rule, ourdisplays are designed as a whole by our own artists and form an important part of our seasonal campaigns, just as they do elsewhere in the world, including the UK. An example that would be pertinent to you in this case is our IGDS partner member Selfridge’s. Thesituation in question was merely one of us obliging the organising committee of Tartu Art Month; in context, it proved impossible for anything to come of it. Finally I might add that although what has occurred was regrettable to both parties and by no means the aim of either, Fideelia-Signe’s work and message nevertheless attracted more attention as a result of it than they may ever have as an ordinary shop window display.

Yours sincerely, Inara Laan
Marketing Manager Kaubamaja AS
Kaubamaja Tartu
Riia 1, Tartu
51013, Estonia
Tel. +372 731 5100 inara.laan@kaubamaja.ee

 

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