Henrik Metstak “Past Present”

Henrik Metstak: “The idea for the 366 project came to me on the morning of January 1, when I was outside with the children and watching their activities. I myself was at a relatively difficult stage in my life, which greatly interfered with my daily activities. Finding one frame each day to capture and publicize was a relatively good challenge. It developed visual thinking and gradually became a very enjoyable activity or perhaps a therapy with oneself.”

Kristel Schwede, gallery Positive curator and gallerist: “Henrik Metstak’s exhibition“ The Past Present ”is a reflection on the passage of time. The value of the project, which started as a visual photo diary, is the photographer’s ability to see and create timeless messages in general in the pictorial language, with which the relationship has a therapeutic effect. Slightly melancholic and philosophical moments alternate with dynamic and energetic events, meditative black-and-white views of nature provide the necessary respite for the transition. Metstak is equally aware of the nature and possibilities of both black and white and color photography and imperceptibly directs the viewer into the picture, creating his own vision of the strange time captured by the photographer. ” In December 2020, the photographer participated in the photo call and joint exhibition “Emotion” organized by Loovgraaf and Gallery Positive. The photo “Tallinn’s Two Faces” he sent was one of five pictures selected by Vivian Ainsalu, one of five professional photographers who were invited to choose their favorite from the pictures in the joint exhibition. Henrik Metstak holds a degree in graphic design and currently works as an environmental designer at the design agency Velvet.