By Mark Narustrang
The 24th of February 1918 is commemorated by Estonians as the day that Independence was declared. But a declaration on its own does not a nation state make.
What followed was the Estonian War of Independence in which Estonians pushed back advancing Soviets in a legendary David vs Goliath encounter. Accordingly, it is apt that Estonians in Western Australia gathered on Independence Day, 2024, to celebrate of the life of a man that was wounded fighting for an Independent Estonia in 1919. However, its was not Gert Sellheim’s contribution with rifle in Estonia, but pen in Australia, that drew Perth based Estonians to the WA Honorary Consul’s (Anu Van Hattem) residence in Claremont.
Gert’s son, Nik Sellheim, recounted to the attendees how a new Estonian adapted to a land that was as akin to northern Europe as Pluto is to the Sun. Gert arrived in Fremantle in 1926 after leaving Post War Germany. (Gert was an unknowing trail blazer for the many that came in the late forties after Europe decided the tragedy of war was worthy of a sequel).
Nik observed that despite the challenges thrown at Gert, from being indentured on a farm in Pingelly through to being interred as a foreign alien during WW2, Gert embraced Australia as an exciting and modern country and continued to pursue his work in design which eventually became renowned for its aesthetic depiction of Australian culture.
It is curious that an Estonian born, German educated, woollen suit wearing new arrival could emphatically capture the essence of Australia with relatively simple applications of colour and shape. However, the stark contrast of Australian life compared to Europe, from surf beaches to Aboriginal art, perhaps allowed Gert to see the extraordinary in the otherwise familiar. Without being tied to Australian norms and tradition, he took common imagery and applied repetition and geometric composition to form motifs that reflected Australia back to its citizens with a fresh and exotic vibrance.
But Gert’s influence did not stop at the borders of the Island Continent. In addition to many promotional posters used to entice travellers to his newly adopted country to the world, Gert’s most prominent work was for QANTAS – the ubiquitous ‘Flying Kangaroo’ logo. Since cropped of its wings and streamlined (is it truly flying now?) the big red boomer still emblazoned on the back of Boeings and Airbuses is not just symbolic of an airline, but of Australia itself. Many an Australian, whilst taxiing through a far flung airport and chancing upon a QANTAS tail fin scything through the apron traffic, has felt a sense of connection and comfort knowing they are only a single flight from home.
Recognising Gert’s contribution to the Australian visual lexicon, Australia Post has just released a series of stamps replicating some of his travel poster designs, which due to the poster’s planned ephemerality, are increasingly difficult to see in their original form.
Gert Sellheim, along with many other Estonian Australians, contributed to the spirit of Australia as much as Australia contributed to his. Although Nik expressed bemusement of his own lack of creativity, it was pleasing to hear that Gert’s grandson, Berndt, has forged a career in literature and photography, and his great granddaughter is never happier than when up to her ears in paint. May the spirit of Gert continue…
