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Merike Estna
06.04.1980 Tallinnas
Estna’s paintings are contemporary. They are hip. Happy. Sensual. Pure enjoyment. A bit surreal. Horrifying at times. Ironic. Sensitive. A person who has just come from the market, having bought pickles and bread while counting her modest pension-money – for her such daydreaming is just a waste. Perhaps it is even unethical. The gap between this old woman and Estna’s work is tragic, almost erotic in its tragedy. The same kind of alienation seems to be between Estna’s paintings and the characters depicted en face.
| 2007-... | Goldsmiths College, Great Britain, MFA, Art Practice |
| 2005-... | Estonian Academy of Arts, MA Interdisciplinary Arts |
| 2004 | Kent Institute of Art and Design, Great Britain, BA Fine Art |
| 2001-2005 | Estonian Academy of Arts, BA painting |
solo exhibitions
| 2008 | "MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL, IS IT ART OR IS IT PORN?" (with Maksim Surin), Galerie Frederic Desimpel, Brussels “Peeglike, peeglike seina peal, kes on parim ilma peal?” Draakoni Gallery, Tallinn |
| 2007 | "Plain as pikestuff", Haapsalu City Gallery |
| 2006 | "God's Zoo is diverse aka War and Peace", (with Maksim Surin), Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn "Hate Yourself with Joy", KU Gallery, Tallinn |
| 2005 | "Rabbit: "Oh, pretty boys everywhere!"", Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn "The sexiest girl, pussycat, the happiest girl and two loverrabbits", Haus Gallery, Tallinn |
| 2004 | "Jüri and Mari adventures", Vaal Gallery, Tallinn |
| 2000 | Galerii Owners, Tallinn |
group exhibitions
| 2007 | "Brussels Art Fair", Brussels "Border Country", Guanazou, China "Love in the 21st Century", ArtDepoo Gallery, Tallinn "Course and Intervention", Istanbul "No Borders", La Centrale Electrique, Brussles |
| 2007 | "Consequences and Proposals", Biennale on Young Artist, Rüütlekonna building, Tallinn "Contemporary Art from Estonia", Baltic States part III, Kalmar Art Museum, Kalmar, Sweden "Keha muutmine", ArtDepoo Gallery, Tallinn "Tase", Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn "Baltic Mythologies". Prague biennal, Prague, Czech Republic "Open Art", Riga "New Wave", Tallinn Art Hall "Fresh paint", Vaal Gallery, Tallinn |
| 2006 | "Shoot or shout- no escape", Vilnius IV International Festival of Experimental Art and Performance. Manege, Saint Petersburg "Flowers of Evil", Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn Nordic Art, Kunst in der Carlshutte, Budelsdorf, Germany "Naked", Tartu Artists Haus "Beautiful Paintings", Aaspere Castle, Estonia "Kaamos 2006", Hellenurme village, Loogna farm, Estonia |
| 2005 | "Identities", Tallinn Art Hall "Multiple", KU Gallery, Tallinn Estonian Academy of Arts Diploma Works exhibitions, Rottermanni Salt Storage, Tallinn |
| 2004 | "Home sweet home", Rottermanni Salt Storage, Tallinn Wildlife, Kastellaani house gallery, Tallinn, Estonia "You ain`t seen me right..", Tallinna XIII Print triennaal EKA gallery, Tallinn "Bringing Back the Summer", Haapsalu City Gallery "Nordic Art," Kunst in der Carlshütte, Büdelsdof, Germany "In one Row", Tartu Art House |
| 2003 | "I have been in New York", Pärnu Concert House "Last Hero", Rottermanni Salt Storage, Tallinn |
works in collections
Tartu Art Museum, paintings "Me and Sadness" and "Humans Best Friend"
prizes, scholarships
| 2007 | Kristjan Jaak Scholarship |
| 2006 | Estonian Cultural Endowment creativity grant for one year |
| 2005 | Eduart Wiiralt Prize for the best fine art student Mutlipl, I price for the kinetic mutliple object |
| 2004 | Hansapank scholarship for art student |
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