FINISHED PROJECTS AND ESTONIAN SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANTS


Topology and Texture of Estonian Literature. [Intersemiotic analysis]
Target financed research theme (2003–2007)

The research theme had as its main goal the outlining of a theoretical and methodological framework for the topological analysis of literature, mapping its general directions and its application in the research of Estonian literature. The research considered the construction of spatial and temporal relations in texts, the relationship between fictional and real worlds, problems of environmental aesthetics and literary ecology, the interference of different types of art, and the problems concerning the ontology of a work of art. The analysis had Estonian literature and visual arts as its empirical subjects. The most important results are the following: (1) Continuation of a series of international conferences, "Koht ja paik/Place and Location" (2004, 2007), and the publication of four volumes of the same name; (2) Compiling and editing "Philosophical Movements of the 20th Century", important for establishing the philosophical ground for research on Estonian culture; (3) In addition to the above, 3 monographic studies and five collections of articles were published; (4) Two PhD's and four MA's were earned. The main researchers of the research group published 39 articles in various peer-reviewed publications of international distribution, 47 articles in publications of local distribution and a large number of smaller surveys and reviews. Members of the research group were the main organizers of the double-conference "Texts in Adaption"; of several seminars in cultural theory and environmental aesthetics ("Fictional and Possible Worlds", "The Borderlines of Fantastic Fiction", "How does the City Attract?"); of seminars for literary scholars in Nüpli (2005–07); in 2007, they initiated a series of conferences on contemporary literature. The research results were actively applied in the holding of seminars and lectures in different universities of Estonia, as well as in supervising MA and PhD projects.


The problem of media-determinism and temporal-spatial realtions of the work of art
Estonian Science Foundation grant No 5965 (2004-2006)

In the framework of the project the attempts were made to draw under a united methodology the analysis of temporal and spatial relations in different types of work of art, interference of art genres, and ontological problems of a creative work, influenced by the radical changes caused by the new technologies and the social status of the art.
The following problems were studied:
- the dependence of a work's ontology on the means of expression, medium (including the relations of the pictorial and textual representation);
- the construction of temporal-spatial relations in the visual representation; connections of these relations with the narrative.

Principal investigator: Virve Sarapik
Research associates: Raivo Kelomees, Mari Laaniste, Karin Laansoo, Eva Näripea, Jaak Tomberg, Andreas Trossek, Piret Viires


Textuality and the Structure of the Work of Art Estonian Science Foundation grant No 4799 (2001-2003) The grant concentrated on research of relations between pictorial art and verbal language. The problem was viewed focusing on the part of the verbal text in the structure of pictorial art and on its role in forming the meaning of the work. Special attention was paid on three aspects: the theme of the work of art as a text (pictured narrative), accompanying text (paratexts), and elements of script as part of picture. The empirical material of the project was Estonian art in the last decades (1980s-90s).

Principal investigator: Virve Sarapik
Research associates: Mari Laanemets, Mari Laaniste, Karin Laansoo