Belliisi Seenemaa “The Ones on the Other Side”

The title of the exhibition stems from the artist’s personal experience. Loss and grief in recent years have opened a path to creation as a form of dialogue — a conversation between the artist and the unseen. The works are created using cyanotype technique, printing and developing with sunlight.

According to the artist: “In exploring this idea further, I have come to understand that ‘the other side’ may not only mean those who have passed away, but also those who no longer remember themselves — due to age or changes in the mind. It may also mean those who never were born into this world, or whose presence we can sense but have never met. In many Estonian families there are relatives who are not spoken of, or who have disappeared. And there are family lines that are fading away.”

The project began with the artist’s first encounter with the cyanotype process. The initial work was based on a photograph of her great-grandfather — a man who holds a key role in the family’s story. He had seven children, and because of him, there are now dozens upon dozens of descendants. Yet, over time, the memory of him has begun to fade.

The artist came across a small, palm-sized, fading photograph whose image was slowly disappearing, just as the memory itself was. By digitising the picture and redeveloping it through cyanotype, the man is back in visibility — giving him a new presence and preserving his story for generations to come.

What began as a personal project soon evolved into a wider collaboration involving the stories of others. The artist invited acquaintances to share photographs, objects and memories connected to those who are no longer with us but have a impact on their lives. From these materials, new cyanotypes were created.

The photographs used in the works fall into two categories: the artist’s own images, and family photographs — some passed down through generations, some by unknown photographers. The families depicted come from different regions of Estonia — Viljandimaa, Võrumaa, Saaremaa, Muhumaa, and Harjumaa — including some whose origins are only faintly known.

Cyanotype is one of the earliest photographic processes and resonates deeply with the theme of the exhibition. In the early days of photography, people believed that taking a photograph could capture a person’s soul or a part of it. Today, through photography, we are able to reconnect with those who are no longer with us in physical form.

The deep blue hue characteristic of cyanotype is watery and celestial, icy, melancholic and pure. In symbolism, water represents emotion, and thus the blue tonalities of the images create a natural, psychological bridge between presence and absence, life and loss.

Many compositions also include plants — symbols often associated with the human soul, with that fragile space between life and transience.

Belliisi Seenemaa (b. 1990, Võru, Estonia) is a freelance artist working across textiles, fashion, and contemporary art. Her practice is experimental, combining traditional techniques such as plant-based dyeing, printing, and leatherwork with modern approaches including e-textiles and technology. Belliisi’s recent work explores nature-inspired methods applied to both wearable design and fine art.

Website: www.seenemaa.com
Contact: Belliisiseenemaa@gmail.com

Gratitude to Jānis Ābele for the support of making the exhibition happen! Gratitude to all who shared their pictures and stories!