"From an Urgent Inner Need"

Pärnu Museum of New Art 13.09.–26.10.2025

In this exhibition, the method of creation is the transformation of a mental state into a visual form — the act of creation is a pure necessity and an outlet of the present moment. These artists express their emotions through the medium of drawing

Lithuanian artist Marija Marcelionytė: “Drawing is the quickest way for me to get some relief from anxiety about the future. If I can’t sleep, I draw. I fall into a trance and only come out of it when my whole body starts to ache.”

“From an Urgent Inner Need” brings together creators who are free of clichés, open to spontaneity, and whose works are not overly rationally constructed nor bound by canons. The works express the original psychological impulses of creation and the principle of "as if by itself".

The soul craves expressive lines and uncalculated freedom, absurdity or unearthly code figures of the inner world from the subconscious, scribbled straight from the drawing pad.

This exhibition focuses on drawing as a state of being, not an effort or a showcase of skill. These are honest expressions that break free from internal compulsion. To some extent, such drawings are intimate and revealingly honest, and sometimes painful expressions. They are the translation of the past, experiences, emotions, the subconscious, chance, and other impulses into line, shape, and symbols.

The artists have worked both in small formats and on a large, spatial scale. At times the works are raw and unfinished, but their authenticity offers insight into the process itself—which for many artists is often more important than the finished work.

Participants: Ulvi Haagensen, Markus Kasemaa, Lembe Keskpaik, Elin Kjosnes (Norra), Liivia Leškin, Marija Marcelionyte (Leedu), Indrek Mikk, Marko Mäetamm, Mark Antonius Puhkan, Lembe Ruben, Inga Salurand, Mirja Mari Smidt, Angela Soop, Maria-Kristiina Ulas, Märt Vaidla.

Curator: Lembe Ruben

Exhibition design: Üla Koppel

Thank you: Cultural Endowment of Estonia, City of Pärnu, Association of Estonian Printmakers