Today, on February 16th at 6:30 PM, we are opening the exhibition “Suddenly I See You” by painter Eero Alev at Artrovert Gallery.
The exhibition tells a story of the world through the eyes and gaze of a child. It captures the child’s immersive playfulness, where everything else around them is forgotten. Observing a child in this way brings back memories of one’s own childhood. The experience of childhood remains in the past and cannot be relived. Therefore, observing one’s own child becomes the best alternative for reliving those moments, awakening emotions that can’t be found elsewhere and stirring dormant layers long forgotten.
Eero Alev’s recently completed series of six paintings speak of the unattainable longing for childhood but also of the admiring and apprehensive gaze of a parent witnessing the growth of a little person. The exhibition “Suddenly I See You” is based on photographs taken over the past two years, captured in the backyard of Tabasalu, at friends’ homes in Haapsalu, and during a trip to Hiiumaa. Photography allows for the preservation of these moments. Painting, however, provides the artist with another dimension – the opportunity to linger in these moments and analyze their thoughts, feelings, longings, and fears.
The series of paintings is a conceptual continuation of Eero’s 2022 master’s thesis at the Estonian Academy of Arts titled “Encounter on the Plane,” where spontaneous, sketch-like characters inspired by children’s drawings emerged alongside classical figures. On the plane, two worlds met – the conscious, trained, and structured approach of an adult and the childlike, naive, and clumsy style. Like in the master’s thesis, the exhibition “Suddenly I See You” also turns towards monochromatic hues, while not completely achieving monochrome.
Eero Alev (b. 1983) holds a bachelor’s degree in painting and a master’s degree in contemporary art from the Estonian Academy of Arts. He currently works as a drawing and painting instructor at the Estonian Academy of Arts and also pursues a career as a freelance artist. His signature style is realistic, rooted in traditional figurative techniques, and his subject matter often revolves around space and humans, with a particular focus on children. The atmospheric ambiance receives special attention in his works.
Eero Alev has participated in several group exhibitions, including notable ones such as “Open Collections. The Artist Speaks” curated by Eha Komissarov at the Art Museum of Estonia in 2019, the duo exhibition “Pretense” with Brenda Purtsak at the Estonian Academy of Arts Gallery in 2020, and the recent exhibition “Guest” at Hobusepea Gallery in the summer of 2022, together with Marleen Suvi and Brenda Purtsak.
The exhibition will be open until March 25, 2023. The grand opening of the exhibition will take place on February 16 at 6:30 PM. You are welcome! Artrovert Gallery, Turu plats 3, Nõmme, Tallinn.