“Inner world” aims to capture the “now-ness” of Nordic and Baltic contemporary painting, focusing on recent tendencies and innovative trends in painting as an intermediary medium. By exploring the fusion of photography, video, installation, sound and ceramics, the exhibition portrays the poetics of painting today. Artists explore personal and socio-cultural narratives and their introspective journeys through various perspectives on painting.
The exhibition emphasises the creation of environments through artistic expression, navigating the boundary between the materiality of painting and abstract narratives, and focusing on preserving cultural memory against time’s erosive forces. By seeking connections between the physicality of painting and imagery, the exhibition conceptually by delicate thread separates technique from narrative, reflecting on the balance of craftsmanship and elitism. Themes include modern humans’ fear of intimacy, examining isolation in the virtual world and modern socialisation, with the connection between people and technology being central. The paradox of being human is portrayed through holistic art pieces emerging from memory, fantasies, and desires. These range from painting and glass installations to multi-layered paintings of holistic objects, creating an atmosphere of intertwined memory and experience, examining posthumanism and transitional spaces termed non-places.
Participating artists: Adomas Rybakovas, Agata Orlovska, Andrea Margó Rotenberg, Arvid Staaf, Eeva Lietonen, Eila Kalve, Gabrielė Monginaitė, Katrina Laura Biksone, Marion Saarik, Marleen Suvi, Neda Naujokaitė, Rokas Janušonis.
Curator: Andra Orn, NOBA.ac
The Nordic and Baltic Young Artist Award was established in 2016 by the Nordic Baltic Art Center NOBAto support emerging artistic talent in the region. This prestigious competition is designed to launch the careers of promising young artists while offering a platform for art professionals and enthusiasts to discover new talent. It showcases the works of BA and MA graduates from leading art academies, including the Estonian Academy of Arts, Pallas University of Applied Sciences, Art Academy of Latvia, Vilnius Academy of Arts, Uniarts Helsinki, Turku University of Applied Sciences, and Konstfack, Sweden. The competition promotes graduation exhibitions and helps bring international visibility to students as they navigate the challenging transition into their professional careers.
In 2023, 142 artists with 256 works vied for recognition. The international jury bestowed the Grand Prix upon Agata Orlovska, the Young Painter Award to Katrina Laura Biksone, and the Public Choice Award to Andrea Margó Rotenberg.
