Merike Estna at Temnikova & Kasela in Tallin.

Merike Estna: 'Peradam'
24 May - 30 August, 2024
Temnikova & Kasela, Tallin

In this cave, the air is heavy with moisture. Somewhere, the gentle dripping of water can be heard, though the source of this sound is obscured by the enveloping darkness. A faint light seeps faintly through the opening of the cave’s mouth. Shadows meander across the walls near the mouth like hungry spirits, at times taking on nearly familiar shapes, then merging again into the murk that reigns within the cave. Amidst this spectacle, a fleeting memory of a dark November night in the homeland emerges when damp air presses down the last remnants of dreams about the long forgotten sun. Somewhere, the figure of a horse flickers, just like one that might have once galloped across the vast wastelands of Mexico. In the artist’s rendition of the past, a faceless Madonna presses a tiny bundle to her chest. The merged bodies of the two shadows seemingly embracing each other in eternal love.

Peradam is a special crystal in René Daumal’s allegorical novel Mount Analogue (Le Mont Analogue, 1952). The novel tells the story of a group of adventurers who decide to embark on an expedition to a mysterious mountain located at the end of the world. To do so, they must first obtain the crystal-clear gem – the peradam – which can only be found by someone who truly seeks it. In her exhibition named after this priceless stone, artist Merike Estna reflects on where human civilisation is heading and how our prospects may sometimes seem as hopeless as those trying to reach the mystical mountain in Daumal’s novel. What role does art created over centuries or love experienced in our lifetime play when the future looks dark? It is a journey into the cave within the mountain and out again to discover what matters most.

Merike Estna (born in 1980) is a painter who often extends her brushstrokes beyond the canvas to encompass environments, objects and bodies. Similarly to the paintings in Peradam, Estna’s recent works borrow from history, literature and myth, intertwining them with contemporary themes and personal narratives. Exploring the heritage of various cultures, the artist incorporates elements ranging from Lydia Koidula’s poetry to the legends of Pompeii’s ruins over time. Particularly close to Estna’s heart is Mexican culture, where Estna has lived and worked for several years. Peradam is an extension of the exhibition Analog Mountain, which took place at Margot Samel Gallery in New York in March 2024. In Peradam, Merike Estna presents a series of new paintings not previously shown in Estonia created in the year 2023. Estna’s recent exhibitions in Estonia include Soil Will Not Contain Our Love at the Kai Art Center (2022) and Borderlessness with Jaime Alonso Lobato at Temnikova & Kasela Gallery (2021).

Text by Kaarin Kivirähk

The exhibition is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and Punch Drinks.