Andres Sütevaka exhibition opens at Viinistu Tünnigaleri

An exhibition of Andres Sütevaka’s colourful paintings has opened at Tünnigalerii, a gallery housed in former water tanks at Viinistu Art Harbour, ERR reported. The exhibition will remain open until September 4.

Viinistu, an old fishing village with a harbour and scenic coastline, is home to Estonia’s first public private art museum. Tünnigalerii is part of the Viinistu Art Museum.

Curated by Gallery Truus, the exhibition brings together a selection of Sütevaka’s works from recent years. Gallery owner Tiiu Truus said the paintings’ colours and expressiveness stood out particularly well in the gallery’s rustic setting.

“Andres Sütevaka’s work and creative output come out best in these industrial tanks. There is no doubt about it. This is the best place to exhibit his work,” Truus said.

Sütevaka has painted in the abstract expressionist style for the past 20 years. He said he was inspired by solving problems of composition and colour.

“My painting is like a game of chess. I place one tone, sit in an armchair and light a cigarette. I look and combine. I fit colour fields together, along with texture and composition,” Sütevaka said.

To create texture and composition, the artist has developed his own technique. He pours three or four litres of texture material onto a canvas laid on the floor, then uses large spatulas to find a composition within minutes. After the texture dries for 24 hours, he removes material from unsuitable areas with a painting knife.

Sütevaka lived in Barcelona, Spain, for an extended period, and Truus said Spanish influences were clearly visible in his work, including its vivid combinations of colours.