Human nature has a habit of planning and analyzing, trying to keep our lives in check. People tire their minds daily thinking about future worries and past suffering, which leads to the loss of the ability to enjoy and truly live in the present. Find a time and place to forget both the future and the past and simply be. Notice the little things like the colors, textures and movements of life. That is why the paintings depict trees, which are simply a symbol of being. A tree does not strive or seek – it simply exists. It invites a person to return to the present, breathe, accept what is, and experience life as it unfolds without judgment or resistance.
These works are not just a visual experience, but also a reminder that true living takes place in the present. The paintings themselves become tools of mindfulness, not offering the viewer a means to get lost in deep thoughts and escape the reality of the present, but rather a purely visual meditative pleasure that exists here and now. The artist used the same principle when creating the works, making the creative process as meaningful as the finished works themselves. While the process of previous paintings was accompanied by mentally contemplating the concept of the work and unraveling its content; planning the works and planning the layers, in this series the main focus was on trusting the intuitive process and technical execution. As a result, the paintings are a kind of products of being in the present, which they themselves represent.
The painting series “Blocked Views” is a profound departure from Rain Saarik’s previous work, which explored the relationship between past memories and the elusive future, in contrast to being in the present in the current series. While previous works have been visually narrative, with a composition of foreground, middle ground and background, for the “Blocked Views” painting series the artist recalibrated himself and his creative process, deciding to completely anchor himself in the present, to which the artist placed the elements of each painting in the foreground of the work. Through this, the main focus of the works becomes a textural painting surface with a hypnotic handwriting, which almost invades the space, becoming immediate.
Rain Saarik graduated from the Estonian Academy of Arts with a degree in sculpture and installation, but mainly practices painting. His work combines traditional painting techniques with contemporary elements, creating a unique aesthetic that is both personal and universal. Saarik is known for his masterful use of color and detail. He values a slow creative process and multi-layered painting, which allows him to create works from memory.
