A flowerpot painted by Arvo Pärt

Visit the Arvo Pärt Centre to see a fascinating flower pot

This flowerpot, painted by Arvo Pärt, marks a certain period in the composer’s journey toward developing his own musical language, which became known as tintinnabuli. A few years before reaching this breakthrough, when the composer was in a deep creative crisis, he was advised to experiment with other art forms that were unfamiliar to him. It was suggested that having the courage to make mistakes and fail might lead him out of a creative deadlock. Paper and canvas seemed too pretentious to the composer and his wife, Nora Pärt, so they ended up with flowerpots.

Eventually, there were hundreds of painted flowerpots at the composer’s home. Only one of them has reached the Arvo Pärt Center – a small clay pot painted by Arvo Pärt, with the handwritten date “4.3.77” inside. It also arrived back to the composer with a big round. You can find out how it happened by visiting the Arvo Pärt Centre.
Location: The Arvo Pärt Centre