10 Questions with Eva Reiska

Eva Reiska’s curiosity towards installation art and creativity flourished during summers in Estonia at her country place on the Noarootsi peninsula. The sensory experience of creating an environment with her own hands led her to study architecture at Tallinn University of Applied Sciences in 2010.

An exchange year in Germany and the opportunity to learn architecture according to the Bauhaus teaching method at the Brandenburg University of Technology provided Eva with a forceful impetus to discover her own methods and allow playfulness into her work. This directed her from the path of an architect to the way of an artist.

Facing depression in her 20s, real birds that she had been keenly observing reminded her of the preciousness of the present moment and freedom. She began creating these reminders for herself through art and, like birds, after graduating, she migrated, traveling to different countries and recording her experience into drawings every day for five years.

Eva received the BRC Honoraria Art Grant in 2017 for her installation work. She currently lives and works in Tallinn, Estonia, making art and teaching drawing as a tool for thinking.

www.jukotari.com | @jukotari

ARTIST STATEMENT

Sometimes Eva jokes that she is more a janitor than an artist, reorganizing the existing environment and materials, repainting, or just washing off dust and dirt to bring out the value of a place. She uses two methods of creating anything: the first one follows what she sees in the Mind’s Eye (the human ability for visualization), constructing the vision in the medium that seems most appropriate (painting, installation, drawing, digital image, or jewelry, for example). She is always looking for ways to reuse materials, giving them a fresh life through art. This first method sometimes works the other way around in that leftover materials can inspire the invisible image. BirdFish sculpture (2018) is a great example of this way.

She uses the second method mostly when completing commissions. She starts by asking the most basic question, what does the piece want to be? Usually, the Mind’s Eye offers up an image in response, but sometimes random conversation or particular materials spark the vision.

Perhaps the most important aspect that Eva keeps track of is her state of mind during the process of both methods. She feels simultaneously more alive and calm in environments dominated by white, black, and nature (natural materials). This color scheme or material framework is the most fluent and natural for her to work with, as well as the most intriguing in terms of future potential.

INTERVIEW

You come from an architectural background. What inspired you to shift your career toward visual arts?

Actually, I have been a visual artist for as long as I can remember. But I went to study architecture because I was fascinated by how to create physical structures and rooms that bring out the value of a place. All that I learned during these studies I use daily in visual arts. Thanks to this knowledge, I am more free to think from a wider perspective than I did before.

What is your personal aim as an artist?

My mission as an artist is to create harmonious environments, and my personal aim is to be present continuously. Creating art and Vipassana meditation have been the best practices for me so far to slowly move towards this personal aim. I am aware that this can take lifetimes.
Also, I think that artists are such a necessary part of the social structure, but regarding basic costs, at least in Estonia, it is quite a challenge to fully live as one without worrying or sacrificing the art. An extra part of my personal aim is to accept this challenge, turn it around and pave the way for other creatives as well. That future generations would choose their way based on what they love and came here to do rather than what is profitable or popular in society.

Drawing seems to have a central role in your practice, together with installation. Why did you choose these mediums specifically?

I just love drawing, and I feel that it chose me, not vice versa. One morning in 2010, I woke up and just knew I had to draw every day. This daily practice has helped me to live as a professional artist and to create from nothing, meaning even then, when the inspiration doesn't strike. I very much resonate with the saying by Picasso: "Inspiration Exists, But It Has to Find You Working." So drawing for me is like dialing the muse.
Regarding installation art, it got me at Burning Man 2008. I saw how interactive installation art can easily shift the focus to the present moment, connect and also bring out the playfulness in the participant. From the artist's point of view, I am intrigued that the piece is not ready when it is assembled, but instead, it becomes whole and alive when someone else interacts with it. Besides Burning Man, I have been deeply inspired by Olafur Eliasson's works, which offer a direct sensory experience and, through that, transform an observer's perception of how they see the physical world.

Nature and travel also seem to be very important for your work, as they are both sources of inspiration. What did you learn from your travels and experiences with nature? And how do you translate these lessons into your work?

Many of the paintings as well as other works, have started from an urge to translate the laws of nature into a visual form and also from an eagerness to understand these laws better myself. I enjoy gardening, and I literally observe plants growing. Seeing some flourish and some dying has been a valuable lesson for me. How I take care of the environment around me is the way how nature takes care of me. As an artist, my mission is to create harmonious environments, but I am also aware that with every intervention, I change the balance and can cause harm instead. These lessons have made me quite humble when creating anything.
Regarding travel, hiking in Annapurna in the Himalayas or being on a small boat surrounded by humpback whales in Mexico are a few examples of a larger collection of moments of being in complete awe. These experiences have grown my respect towards nature and also ignited a sense of protection. Yet, sometimes during traveling, I have been in places not so delightful, but through drawing them, I have made these moments memorable and, in a way, beautiful or interesting on a piece of paper. Every moment is unique and holds value where ever we are.

Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What aspect of your work do you pay particular attention to?

I was a kid when during one time drawing, I got a conscious insight that what I was creating was not by me or my own. Instead, I was just delivering it. I have kept this connection and understanding since, and it also directs the visions. At the beginning of a project, I basically show up in the studio and start drawing or playing with other materials and observing what comes up. In this phase, I am open to different and more absurd ideas. By the end of this phase, I usually see what it is that wants to emerge or what is the next step. When it is time to produce, I am more pragmatic and oriented for quick decision-making. Throughout the process, the most important aspect for me is being present while creating.

What are the main themes behind your work? What would you like to communicate with it?

Freedom, connection, and presence. Birds are great reminders of these qualities, and they often show up in my work. In my early 20-s, I experienced depression, and I was considering taking my own life. I remember waiting for a tram with a crowd of people, and all I could feel was that I did not belong here and that I am trapped. But just before stepping into the public transport, I saw a flock of seagulls flying over. All are flowing through the sky freely without bumping into each other. They made life look so easy and beautiful. And for a moment, this spectacle brought my attention to the present moment, releasing me from my thoughts. Inspired by this encounter, I started creating images of birds as reminders of being here and now.

You use predominantly neutral colors, black, white, and gold leaf. Why do you use this visual language? And how does it help you convey your message?

I see this color scheme as my native language. Using the mentioned palette allows me to visually speak about everything and go in-depth with more ease. I am also aware that, like everything in life, this can change. But at least for now, it is aligned with my inner being. When black and white usually represent simplicity, then gold is more complex, changing the tone in a different light or when looking at it from another angle. Sometimes I use natural materials of plants instead of gold leaf. But the essence remains the same.
From a more practical point of view, today's world is overloaded by information. In a way, using neutral and natural colors are good tools for creating a calm space where the mind can rest.

You are currently teaching in Estonia. What is one piece of advice you would give to an emerging artist?

Yes, I currently teach drawing as a tool for thinking, and I love seeing grownups who claim that they can not draw feel otherwise right after the first lesson!
For an emerging artist, I would recommend to just start making art! The active process is the best teacher. And remember that art is free! As soon as you want to be in charge or put a cage over it, it is gone.

What are you working on now, and what are your plans for the future? Anything exciting you can tell us about?

Like I decided to draw every day in 2010, then just recently, I woke up knowing that I can not create art in a linear way any more. I have always tried to find ways to recycle materials and give them a new life through art, but regarding the timelines and efficiency, I have many times chosen the easier route to buy new base materials straight from the shop. After waking up with this radical change of perspective, I went to the studio and created three small pieces out of leftover materials, mostly textiles. I just put them together as "they" wanted to be. A week later, I went to a sustainability hackathon for female entrepreneurs. There I met a small group of amazing women with whom I joined to build a startup V2GI (www.v2gi.com), which focuses on post-consumer waste." V2GI collects textiles that would be sent to be burnt or buried in a landfill, sorts them into different piles, and gives them a new life through reuse, re-design, or remake into new thread or textile. These textiles are also a great source for making art. We have some art projects in the planning and one exhibition in 2024.

Finally, what do you hope to accomplish this year, both in terms of career goals and personal life?

At the moment, I am in the process of erasing hustle culture from the mindset. My aim is to move over from linear thinking into a circular one, where I pay attention to all parts of life rather than rushing to complete one goal or another. Planning time for myself, my partner, and my family is the foundation. My focus this year is definitely on V2GI and learning about circular design. Doing art is part of my core, so this daily practice is what keeps me connected and happy.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.