Anu Raud (born 10 May 1943, in Moscow, Russia) is an Estonian textile artist is an Estonian textile artist, academic, and writer. She has been recognised nationally for her contributions to preserving Estonian folk art. Raud studied textile art at the Estonian Academy of Arts and later worked as a lecturer and professor at both her alma mater and the Viljandi Culture Academy. Her work includes tapestries inspired by Estonian folklore and the natural landscape. In addition to her studio work, Raud founded the Heimtali Museum in Viljandi, donating her personal collection of local textiles and heritage items to the Estonian National Museum. She is an elected member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences and has published several books reflecting on nature and traditional Estonian culture. She has been a lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Arts and Viljandi Culture Academy.
Early life and career
Raud was born in 1943, in Moscow, Russia.
She graduated in 1961 from Tallinn Secondary School No. 22, where she was taught by Toomas Lepiksaar and Kaljo Põllu. The following year, she entered the State Art Institute, graduating in 1967 with a degree in textile design.
From 1967 to 1970, Raud worked as an artist for the folk art masters association Uku. She then studied art history at the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences from 1970 to 1972. From 1972 to 1995, she was a senior lecturer and associate professor at the Estonian Academy of Arts. From 1994 to 2001, she was a professor at Viljandi Culture College, establishing the specialities of farm design and national crafts, and serving as head of department. From 2001 to 2006, she was a professor in the folk art chair at the Estonian Academy of Arts, becoming professor emerita in 2009.Eesti Teaduste Akadeemia aastaraamat. Faktid ja arvud XXIV (51) 2018. Tallinn, 2019, p. 62
As a lecturer, Raud has contributed to training successive generations of Estonian textile artists since 1972, supervising folk art practicals for students at the Estonian Academy of Arts, the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy, and the Tartu Art College. She is regarded as an inspiration and mentor to an entire generation of textile artists who respect ancestral heritage. Raud was elected as an academician in the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Estonian Academy of Sciences in 2016. In 1991, Raud established a textile museum room in her family home, called the Heimtali Museum. She is the developer and caretaker of the museum. She later donated the museum to the Estonian National Museum on the occasion of its 100th anniversary."Teaduste Akadeemia valis kolm uut liiget" ERR Novaator, 7 December 2016
In 1991, Raud established a museum room at her father, Mart Raud's childhood farm. She exhibited her textile items there. The building is located in the village of Heimtali in Viljandi Parish. The first local history museum in Heimtali had been started by Johannes Kokk in 1987 and in 1992, Anu Raud purchased the decaying museum building. In 2009, Anu Raud donated the museum along with its collections to the Estonian National Museum (ERM), and from 1 June 2010, the Heimtali Museum has been operating as part of the Estonian National Museum. Raud is still involved with the museum, which offers craft training courses, and a permanent exhibition with rotating exhibitions. The museum organises events, rents out premises, and offers educational programmes and workshops. A museum shop sells local crafts and publications. Its permanent exhibition, ‘Wisdom of Life from Generation to Generation’, showcases 200 years of local school history, historical tools, and a textile collection. Rotating exhibitions focus on historical craft techniques and feature personal exhibitions by artists. Guided tours allow visitors to examine items closely. The museum’s collection includes many items from Mulgimaa, with 1,800 objects, 1,500 archival sources, and 700 photographs. Raud's personal collection of traditional handicraft was gifted to the museum and is exhibited there.
She has been a member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences since 2016. Since 2009, she has been a Professor Emeritus of the National Academy of Arts.
Work Themes
Raud has been deeply influenced by her cultural heritage as an Estonian and her background. Her carpet art represents Estonian culture and folk art. She has worked as a teacher, carpet artist, writer, museum founder, and farmer and her various life experiences can be seen in her work.
She completed her first carpet, "Mets," which translatees to "Forest", shortly after graduating from art institute. While working at Uku, she worked in the islands which led her to have close ties with Kihnu Island, which also impacted her work. Nature and home form the core of her work which is heavily influenced by folk art. These themes are also reflected in her textile carpet "Kodutuled" which translates as "Home Fires". She completed the work in 1979 and it was awarded the Kristjan Raud Prize. She is also known for the carpet "Teerist" which translates to Crossroads. It was created for the St John's Church in Viljandi.Maire Toom, Anu Raud annab edasi esivanemate elutunnet, Hommikuleht, 23 December 1994.
Selected solo exhibitions 2013 "Eesti asi" (Estonian Thing), Tallinn Art Hall and Tallinn St John's Church 2013–2014 Solo exhibition, Vana-Võromaa Gallery 2014–2015 "Lõpik", Viimsi Coastal Folk Museum and Viimsi St James Church 2016 "Vabadus" (Freedom), Toompea Castle Art Hall 2018 "Isamaastikud" (Fatherland Landscapes), Estonian National Museum 2018–2019 "Issaristike", Tallinn St John's Church 2020 "Tähisvaibad" (Marked Carpets), Tallinn St John's Church 2022–2023 "Kuue ruuduga aken" (Window with Six Panes), Valga Museum (visual sequel to the book of the same name)
Selected works in collections Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design Estonian National Museum Estonian History Museum Museum of New Art, Pärnu Art Collection of Queen Elizabeth II, United Kingdom
Awards 1979 Kristjan Raud Prize (carpet "Kodutuled") 1981 Merited Artist of the Estonian SSR 1994 Estonian Rebirth Award 1995 Kristjan Raud Prize (for promoting and advancing folk art: solo exhibition at the Adamson-Eric Museum) 1995 Viljandi City Culture Award 1998 Order of the White Star, 3rd Class 1999 Heritage Keeper (first individual award for outstanding activity in preserving and valuing national handicraft traditions) 2000 Annual Award of the Endowment for Folk Culture of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (finding a contemporary form for folk art) 2001 Rukkirääk Culture Award 2001 Annual Award of the Endowment for Folk Culture of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (finding a contemporary form for folk art) 2006 Annual Award for Folk Culture of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (as a carpet artist and teacher, mistress of the Heimtali Museum and Kääriku farm – for valuing, preserving, and passing on folk art) 2008 Textile Artist of the Year 2012 Lifetime Achievement Thank-You Award of the Estonian National Culture Foundation 2013 National Thought Award 2013 TriikRaud Award 2014 Cultural Award of the Republic of Estonia for lifetime achievement 2017 Estonian Council of Churches Media Prize 2019 Woman of the Year (awarded by the Estonian Association of Business and Professional Women) 2022 Annual Award of the Endowment for Folk Culture of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (together with Tuuli Tubin McGinley; for popularising a sustainable and conservative lifestyle and organising a trouser-patching competition and exhibition) 2023 Eduard Vilde Literary Award (for the book "Kuue ruuduga aken") 2023 Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana / EELK Cross of Merit, 3rd Class 2025 Gratitude Medal of the EELK Viljandi St John's Congregation
Personal life Her mother Valda Raud was a translator. Her father was writer Mart Raud (writer). Her brother is translator Annus Raud, and her half-brother was writer Eno Raud.
In 2002, Mark Soosaar directed the documentary film about her, "Anu Raud, elumustrid" which translates to "Patterns of Life". In 2021, Erle Veber directed the documentary "Pärand. Anu Raud" which translates as "Heritage: Anu Raud".
References
External links
About the museum on the ERM website Anu Raud kudus oma mure "Mereriiki" Sakala, 7 February 2004 Aime Jõgi. Tartu Jaani kirik korjab Anu Raua vaibaloomingut Sakala, 5 April 2006 Anu Raud – vaipade looja ja hoidja Äripäev, 11 December 2006 Tanel Veenre. Anu Raud – kunstitudengite maavanaema EPL.ee, 27 June 2009 Marju Raabe. Vainupea kirikut ehib gobelään «Armuaeg» Eesti Kirik, 23 November 2011 Rein Raudvere. Anu Raud: Suured vallad ei too maale õnne Maaleht, 29 November 2012 Laupa kooli vaip rändas Tallinna näitusele Järva Teataja, 19 February 2013 Liina Raudvassar. Vaibaks oma rahva lugu Eesti Kirik, 20 February 2013 "Jutusaade" Interview with Margit Kilumets on Vikerraadio, 24 February 2013 Helen Adamson. Anu Raua lihtsad, kuid mõjuvad märgid Sirp, 22 March 2013 Maarja Undusk. Anu Raud ja tema elutervik Sirp, 22 March 2013 Liina Raudvassar. Tekstiilikunstnik Anu Raud sai akadeemikuks Eesti Kirik, 4 January 2017 Sirje Semm. EELK meediapreemia pälvib Anu Raud Eesti Kirik, 17 May 2017