The Roly-Poly Doll Collage

Artist's country of origin: Estonia Maria Evestus (born 1986 in Kuressaare) holds a Bachelor of Arts in Painting from the Tartu Art College (2014). She has been actively participating in exhibitions and Estonian art auctions since 2013 and has been a member of the Tartu Artists’ Union since 2019. About herself: “I am a painter who uses nostalgic elements and symbols as a gateway to the viewer’s subconscious. My works are characterized by a layered mixed technique, incorporating collage, acrylic painting, varnishes, graphite, fabrics, and more. An essential part of my pieces is their carefully selected limited color palette and rhythm, with the primary source of inspiration being (Nordic) nature and various substantive and formal contrasts. I am interested in interpreting the contemporary world, with its increasingly stratified history, through the amalgamation of different eras and symbols, creating dreamlike illustrative universes. As an artist, I consciously engage the collective subconscious of viewers through familiar symbols, often derived from nature, local and foreign folk tales and legends, sometimes intertwined with elements of pop culture from recent decades. These are open-ended timeless stories, into which the viewer can place themselves as bold adventurers or wise storytellers.