Gutface and “Snake King of Kadrina” in Estonia

Graphic designer, video animator, illustrator, and artist Ingmar Järve also has done a fair share of illegal street art and legal walls at GUTFACE in the last few years – including participating in Estonia’s Rural Urban Art festival, which focuses on small towns there.

The opening sketch from Gutface. “Snake King Of Kadrina”. Kadrina, Estonia. (photo © Ingmar Järve)
Gutface. “Snake King Of Kadrina”. Kadrina, Estonia. (photo © Ingmar Järve)

Last year he quit his job in advertising and went on his own away from Estonia’s capital of Tallinn on the Gulf of Finland to pursue a professional career solo in Tartu, a couple of hours southeast. Tartu is also where the Stencibility festival has run for a decade and the street art scene is more lively. He shows us this new mural he created for the local municipality of a small town in the north of Estonia called Kadrina.

“The artwork is inspired by an Estonian folklore character which I interpreted and illustrated,” he says, and you can tell he is proud of the clean lines and curving forms that refer to historical storytelling – as well as their similarity to current tattoo, skater and signage styles.

He calls it “Snake King of Kadrina”.

Gutface. “Snake King Of Kadrina”. Kadrina, Estonia. (photo © Ingmar Järve)
Gutface. “Snake King Of Kadrina”. Kadrina, Estonia. (photo © Ingmar Järve)
Gutface. “Snake King Of Kadrina”. Kadrina, Estonia. (photo © Ingmar Järve)

238
138
45