The exhibition portrays the forest by valuating is as a constantly changing lively environment, and dealing with the relationships between people and the forest. The exhibition includes a display of works from three series. The forest area catches your eye and takes you along by dislocating the sense of space. The paintings about mazes deal with the relationships between wild spaces and human impact; they combine the views of structural and classifying diversity of undergrowth mazes, comparing it to the regular monotony of human culture. The portraits of the trees give a closer look at tree stems, portraying their different looks and how they offer a living environment for many other species: lichens, mosses, mushrooms, and beetles.

“Being forest people and a certain wildness holds an important place in the self-image of Estonians, the Estonian word “metsik” (wild) (ancient, uncivilised, uncultured) is related to the word “mets” (forest),” explains the author. “Estonian landscape is mosaic and we still have quite a lot of forest here, so everyone has their own relationship with the forest. For us, it is a common habit to visit the forest, and living near the forest is an elitist luxury in the context of the world. At the same time, the Estonian forest and the attitudes towards it are changing. Constant economic growth wants to extract proceeds from the forest and urbanisation creates a sense of alienation from the wilderness. The thought of going to the forest is often romantic for city people, but it is uncomfortable there, there are annoying insects, branch mazes and poor ground.”

Jane Remm (1978) received her artistic training at Tartu Art School (1996–1999), in the painting department of Tartu University (BA 2003), and in the Department of Interdisciplinary Arts at the Estonian Academy of Arts (MA 2007). The artist has participated in exhibitions since 2003 and her works are exhibited in many homes and offices as well as in Tartu Science Park and in the University of Tartu.

Exhibition “Forest. Portraits” will remain on display in Haus Gallery until 5 May 2017. The Gallery is open from 10–18 from Monday to Friday, and from 11–16 on Saturdays.

Selection of exhibited works can be seen here.