Estonian artist: Breaking out from Eastern Europe still isn't easy
Estonian Anna Mari Liivrand says Eastern Europe remains "uncharted" for much of the Western art world, making it tough for artists here to break through abroad.
Liivrand was awarded Estonia's largest art scholarship, the inaugural €25,000 Kaamos Scholarship, last week. The prize, founded by the Estonian Center for Contemporary Art (KKEK) and Kaamos Group, aims to support women artists.
This is a very good opportunity for women artists to take time and focus on their own creative work," she told ETV's "Ringvaade." Liivrand added that the scholarship will free her from her day job for a while.
"My plan is to use the money to live on for a bit, update and expand my tools, and maybe try some new working methods," she said.
Liivrand admitted sculpting is expensive, though she pushed back on the idea that artists as a whole are struggling. "Artists are very capable people," she said.
Most in her circle are either intensely engaged in their field or balance it with a day job. She said she admires how her peers manage to stay active "on so many fronts."
She knew early on she wanted to be an artist. Drawing was her first love. "As a kid, I really, really loved to draw — I was constantly drawing," she recalled.
That passion led her through art clubs, then the art track at Pelgulinna High School in Tallinn, and eventually the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA).
As a sculptor, Liivrand describes herself as a relentless collector of materials. When something catches her eye on the street, she said, it usually ends up in her pocket.
She's most interested in objects people leave behind — the tiny bits that slip to the bottom of your pocket or fall between paving stones. Much like large-scale ruins, she said, even these small remnants can have significant meaning.
Liivrand's work has also traveled beyond Estonia. At the end of October, her solo exhibition "On the Edge of Fading Voltage" opened at Bærum Kunsthall outside Oslo. She landed the opportunity through an open call.
"Later I heard it was very competitive," she admitted. She was right — out of 800 applicants, just 11 artists were selected for the show.
Breaking out internationally, she noted, is still tough for artists from this region. "
"Breaking out abroad from Estonia really isn't that easy," she said. "Because for much of Western Europe, Eastern Europe is still pretty much uncharted territory."
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Editor: Karmen Rebane, Aili Vahtla
