Markus Kasemaa (b. 1972) is from dynasty of well-known Estonian artists. He has created innovative world of FIGURES, subconsciously born from the lines of spontaneous drawing, while addressing wide characteristics of a person and a society – their interaction and impact, both in closer personal relations and on a wider social, political and religious scale. The mechanisms are usually the same and global processes therefor often depend on individuals.
The faceless figures represent visualised ideas and concepts and not specific people – they explore violence, suppression, stupidity, shallowness, hypocrisy, vanity, chauvinism etc. Artist urges the viewers to use these figures as a psychological inkblot test, to mirror and analyse oneselves, to create its own interpretations and even headings. For himself, the FIGURES are mainly positive, optimistic, humorous, but also often sarcastic, critical and grotesque. “Bad art is good art” he says, “I passionately stand for liberty, tolerance, freedom of speech, love, friendship, also beauty. But by preferring only beautiful and decorative art we indirectly and symbolically are supressing freedom of speech, democracy and also creativity, innovation, education. After all – ugly does not mean bad or evil, beauty does not equal to goodness. Mutilated amputee is not something to be ashamed of. New ideas, that at first seem weird, might be mainstream truth of the future”.
Markus also challenges the conventional paradigms of how art is created and consumed – he often uses computer and digital outputs and exhibits at schools and universities (Copenhagen Business School, Baltic Defence College), offices of companies (Skype, Transferwise, Fujitsu) and institutions (Estonian Supreme Court, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), shopping centres, churches, streets, online etc.
By his words “Writers, composers, filmmakers use computers and reproduction to create art. You can read from e-book, worn out pack of data-copy or leather-gold edition. Listen to stream, file, live, vinyl. While being in the office, on a plane, at the beach. All this does not undervalue the piece of art.”
His works have been exhibited all around the world in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Malaysia, USA, Azores islands, and also in cyber world Secondlife.
More info: m.art.ee
