Back
Mall Nukke (b. 1964) entered the Estonian art scene in the early 1990s – a time when borders were falling and the former Soviet space was rapidly flooded with Western products and imagery. She made a conscious decision to break away from the traditional, elitist concept of art, turning instead to pop culture for inspiration. Collage soon became her preferred technique. One of the central themes that emerged in her work was the notion of “idols,” which formed the basis of three solo exhibitions (1993, 1994, 1995).
Nukke’s approach is not celebratory; rather, she invites the viewer to reflect – who and what do we truly revere? Adding another layer of meaning, she draws direct parallels with classical antiquity as the cradle of European civilisation, echoed in the symbols and titles found throughout her works. This is also evident in the piece “Life on Parnassus”, which alludes both to the mountain in Greece and to a certain cultural elite. At the centre of the composition stands a woman in a nun’s habit, faced with an intriguing choice – to serve earthly or celestial idols?