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NOBA Nordic Baltic contemporary art platform

Mäetamm has been a resident artist at the Tartu Art House since 4 March and has used this time to discover and map Tartu for himself. The artist, who is originally from the south Estonian town Karksi-Nuia, has recollected memories associated with Tartu that are often tumultuous and frequently unpleasant. He has also made drawings of various places that are characteristic of Tartu or of the shadowy non-Tartu. This is probably the first book of fiction in Estonian language that contains a chapter titled “Fibrinogen”. The book is also available in English.

Mäetamm adds: “I based my series of drawings on the feelings that I have thus far had for Tartu and that were inside me when I arrived here. But the two months that I spent here have dislodged everything. The town has a new face and I have grown more fond of it day by day.”

Mäetamm’s residence in Tartu takes place in co-operation between the Tartu Artists’ Union, TAiR – Tartu Artist in Residence programme and the Estonian Print and Paper Museum. It has been supported by the Council of the Gambling Tax and the Cultural Endowment of Tartu. Weekly video diary “What is Marko Doing?” is available on the Tartu Art House YouTube channel with English subtitles. The exhibition has been curated by Peeter Talvistu.

Marko Mäetamm (b 1965) has studied print making at the Estonian Academy of Arts and has also been the dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts in the same institution. He has had numerous personal exhibitions in Estonia an abroad including the Tallinn Art Hall (2018) and the Kumu Art Museum (2015). He has twice represented Estonia at the Venice Biennale (2003 with Kaido Ole and 2007). Although Mäetamm has often exhibited with the Tartu artists’ group Kursi School, his only personal exhibition in Tartu was in 1997 in Obu Gallery.

Gallery name: Tartu Art House Monumental Gallery

Address: Vanemuise 26, Tartu

Opening hours: Mon, Wed-Sun 12:00 - 18:00

Open: 09.05.2019 - 09.06.2019