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Maarit Murka (b. 1981) reflects on her own time and space, primarily from a personal perspective, often filtered through a sharp lens of (dark) humour.
Her work No Painting mirrors a widespread societal attitude in which the work of creative individuals – or the profession of an artist more broadly – is frequently not taken seriously. In Estonia, the expression “shitting in a jar” has become a kind of metaphor for contemporary art in general (originating from Jaan Toomik’s scandalous 1992 installation), used to marginalise the meaning and value of art. Murka offers her own response to this view. Rendered in a hyperrealist style, the work appears absurd at first glance, but its impact soon cuts deeper. If art is really so simple, then why aren’t we all creating it? How many hours does it take to complete a painting – and who pays for those hours?