marta vaarik

Artist's country of origin: Estonia

Marta Vaarik (b. 1986) is an artist, photographer and self-proclaimed blond trickster based in Tallinn, Estonia. She holds a BFA degree in painting from the Estonian Academy of Arts. She did an exchange program in UDK studying under professor Josephine Pryde. She has had solo shows and has participated in group shows in Berlin and Estonia. She works in the mediums of painting, photography, performance, and video.

“It is (often) thus with my art that it is difficult to speak of the impact to myself and the possible viewer. I am not thinking of the mass level impact of art in that context. My power is not rationalized, there is a mask and deconstruction Mask is an animalistic origin, unconscious resistant to study and access. It is hard to describe one’s work when it is still at the stage of getting done, because feeling comes before thought. An object must indeed function by means of feeling, feeling gives the meaning in art. I do not care about my existence before the moment I am in now and it will no more be important after I die. I live for now. I have been on stage since I was eight and since 13 I’ve given interviews, I possess the social capital, the kind of which few artists in Estonia possess. Through my changing, through my deeds someone is supported who needs it, who recognizes themselves in me and my art. Maybe I have managed to prove, to myself at least, I am a being made of blood and mucus, not just an outwardly good body with blond hair. I would like to be open. Is love important or no? Love is a privilege and a right. I repeat to myself tediously that love is not a rough and simple thing, because I would like to be open without criticism. I am interested in the opposite sex’ lust and love and looking for respect in the way that I am. “I AM.” Have I estranged myself from life?”