Andrei considers the art of stained glass the most ideal form of painting, as it tames light and makes it work according to the author’s intent. Thanks to the unique properties of colored glass to alter light and change our perception of space, an interior decorated with stained glass will never feel boring. It can be seen as a sort of medication for both the eye and the soul, enriching the emotional sphere of anyone.

Andrei Lobanov, a graduate of the Tallinn Institute of Art (class of 1990), created his first stained glass works when he was a student. This form of art captivated him so greatly that he decided to dedicate himself entirely to monumental forms of painting: stained glass, fresco and mosaic.

Monumental art is characterized not by its size, but by its ability to portray an entire world or comment on certain ideas, without relying on a single still frame. The artist creates his stained glass using a technique that dates back to 10th century Europe – welding together pieces of colored glass, painted with a variety of pigments. Before the 15th century stained glass was only allowed as décor for Christian churches, and only by the end of the Middle Ages had the art of colored light begun to transform the interior of households. Thus this language of angels and music of spheres – as the medieval theologians described it – became available for all to behold.

Frescos have an even longer life span than stained glass. The cave paintings of the Stone Age, the frozen world of ancient Egypt, and the three-dimensional illusions of antiquity are all preserved to this day.

While Andrei Lobanov by no means recommends that one should live inside a painted sarcophagus or a Chartes Cathedral, he does believe that an interior, much like its owner, should have its own persona. This is hard argue with, for fashions come and go, but art lives on…

Andrei Lobanov has been a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association (EAA) since 1993.