Alexei Gordin
Alexei Gordin (born in 1989) studied painting in Tallinn and Helsinki and currently lives and works in Tallinn.
Although he has a background as a painter, Gordin fluently uses different media and works with drawing, photography, video, and performance.
The main subject matter of his artistic practice is absurdly stereotypical thinking and behaviour patterns of people in contemporary mass society. Gordin’s works are almost always narrative in nature and often cover exciting or annoying situations. In the early years of his career, filthy slums, empty industrial landscapes, marginalised and stigmatised social groups, and vulgar jokes constituted the core atmosphere of Gordin’s work.
The harsh reality of the art world has now become one of his main topics and the artist has himself become the protagonist. Scenes scattered with black humour deconstruct the image of the professional art world as something elitist and glamorous.
Gordin has won several photography competitions and in 2017 he was awarded the Young Painters’ Prize in Vilnius.
Exhibitions at Kogo
Press and Publications
In English
Stories from Behind the Red Dot
Visual essay by Alexei Gordin. Estonian Art 1/2019.
Painting is (not) just fun anymore. The young Painter prize 2017
Alberta Vengryte. Echo Gone Wrong. 15.12.2017.
Half-jokingly… Notes to Alexei Gordin
Andreas Trossek. Magazine of Art and Visual Culture in Estonia KUNST.EE, 4/2015.
In Estonian
Koidikud on siin vaiksed, Jaan Elken, Sirp, 16.12.2022,
Ääreala kunstimull, Johanna Jolen Kuzmenko, Sirp, 08.04.2022
Veel üks mõttetu kunstiarvustus näitusele, mida vaatama ei jõuta, Aleksander Metsamärt, Sirp, 13.08.2021
Segane aasta: Alexei Gordin
Küsis Aleksander Stapov. Müürileht, 9.04.2021.
Kunst sinu ümber. Rõõmsameelne eksistentsialist Alexei Gordin
Kaarin Kivirähk. Postimees, 20.03.2020.
Alexei Gordin: paljust, mis 1990-ndatel oli elukeskkond, on saanud uues ajas romantiseeritud ekspordiartikkel
Keiu Virro. Eesti Päevaleht. 5.08.2020.
Üksinda galeriis
Indrek Grigor. Sirp. 1.06.2018.
Alexei Gordin ja nõukogude-järgse kunstniku seiklused kapitalistlikus maailmas
Elnara Taidre. Vikerkaar, 01.07.2017.
Tõejärgse ajastu tõejärgne kunst
Tanel Rander. Sirp, 17.03.2017.
Romantiline Ida–Euroopa Lääne moodi
Eva-Erle Lilleaed. Postimees, 21.03.2017.
Teise pilk aitab ennast leida
Aleksandra Orlova. Sirp, 16.12.2016.
Kas kunstnik on tähtsam kui pudelikorjaja?
Kaarel Kressa. Eesti Päevaleht, 12.08.2014.
Noor kunstnik teostab end pudeleid korjates.
Asso Puidet. Pärnu Postimees, august 2013.
CV
Alexei Gordin (1989) born in Tomsk, Russia, lives and works in Tallinn, Estonia.
Education
| 2014-2016 | Academy of Fine Arts Helsinki, Fine Arts (MFA) |
| 2008-2011 | Estonian Academy of Arts, Fine Arts (BA) |
Solo Exhibitions
| 2023 | Dreams Come True in this Gallery. Vaal gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2023 | Alexeithymia. Infinite Life Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia |
| 2022 | FÜÜRER PRAISS. With Steve Vanoniga, Gallery Metropol 6m2 & Metropol Kapp, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2022 | I have sold two paintings but it didn’t made me happier. In the programme of the Riga Photomonth, Smilga, Riga. |
| 2021 | How it happened? ArtDepoo gallery, Tallinn, Estonia (in collaboration with Kogo gallery). |
| 2019 | Prison Break. Dungeon Space, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2018 | The outside world must not come in – Alexei Gordin. SomoS Art House, Berlin, Germany. |
| 2018 | Artists, galleries and abandoned spaces. Somos Art House, Berlin, Germany; Pamenkalnio Gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania. |
| 2018 | Potential of the Artist’s Struggle. Myymälä2 Gallery, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2018 | I Remained Silent. Kogo Gallery, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2018 | Weird feeling. Brivibas Gallery, Valga, Estonia. |
| 2017 | Art is Not Just Fun Anymore. Tartu Art House, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2015 | Forever Not Ready. Draakoni Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2014 | Artist Collecting Bottles. Y Gallery, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2014 | March 1989 – August 2014. Tallinn City Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2013 | Between the Past and the Cosmos. Aatrium Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2013 | No Money To Rent a Gallery. Telliskivi Creative City, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2012 | No More Hope For Lovely Creatures. Kultuurikatel garden, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2011 | Art Is So Gay. together with E. Jakubov, Parikaste house, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2011 | Correction Work. Pärnu City Gallery, Pärnu, Estonia. |
| 2010 | Image of Duality. Together with A. Kulpin. Aatrium Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
Group Exhibitions
| 2022 | Is There Hope For Lovely Creatures? Curator Tamara Luuk, Tallinn Art Hall Lasnamäe Pavilion, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2022 | Spring Exhibition. Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2022 | A Word Close To the Heart. Curator Tanja Muravskaja, Tallinn Russian Museum, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2022 | Imageries in Blanks, curator Anita Kodanik. Maardu Dekennaal, Maardu, Estonia. |
| 2022 | NEONAIVISM. Curator Vilen Künnapu, HAA Gallery, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2022 | Exercises for Dreamkeeping. Curator Anita Kodanik, Aparaaditehas balcony gallery, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2022 | Näotus (Facelessness), curator Juhan Soomets. NART, Narva, Estonia. |
| 2022 | NewYearsRezolution. Telegram |
| 2021 | Museum Laboratory. Curator Tanja Muravskaja, Tallinn Russian Museum, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2021 | New Age of Baltic. Art Corner H, Seoul, South Korea. |
|
2021 |
Survival Kit for the Art Market. Together with Marko Mäetamm and Kennet Lekko, curator Helene Bosecher. Kogo gallery, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2020 | (UN)DETERMINED, 17th Vilnius Painting Triennial. Vilnius, Lihuania. |
| 2020 | MAD LOVE. Seppo Fränti Collection. Kiasma, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2020 | East Ends. Curated by Maria-Helen Känd. Põhjala tehas, Tallinn, Estonia |
| 2020 | Time to Dream or Fear? Kogo Gallery, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2020 | 50%50. Paul-Fleischmann-Haus, Berlin, Germany. |
| 2020 | Kas me sellist muuseumi tahtsimegi? Narva versioon. Curated by Rael Artel, Narva Art Museum, Narva, Estonia. |
| 1019 | Report to the audience. Acquisitions of TARTMUS. Curated by Julia Polujanenkova. Tartu Art Museum, Tartu, Estonia. |
| 2019 | Jõhvi Street Art festival. Former Police building of Jõhvi town, Jõhvi, Estonia. |
| 2019 | Spring Exhibition. Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2019 | Eesti Parimad Noored Kunstnikud. Pärnu Linnagalerii, Pärnu, Estonia. |
| 2018 | Estonia100 – Self-Identity. Curated by Alina Orav, Kuja Gallery, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2018 | There and Back Again. Curated by Saara Hacklin and Kati Kivinen. KIASMA Contemporary Art Museum, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2017 | Silta. Curated by V. Halmettoja, Virkka gallery, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2017 | Perform or Not. Culture Factory Polymer, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2017 | Children of the New East. Curated by Siim Preiman, Tallinn Art Hall, Estonia. |
| 2016 | EXTENSION.EE. Curated by E. Pärn. Triumph Gallery, Moscow, Russia. |
| 2016 | Bedroom Paintings. Kopli Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2016 | Young Painter Prize. TSEKH Gallery Vilnius, Lithuania. |
| 2016 | Haava. Seppo Fränti collection, Lapinlahden sairaala, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2016 | Systems3. Exhibition Laboratory, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2016 | Reflections. Vol. 2. Curated by E. Pärn, Narva College, Estonia. |
| 2016 | Art Laboratory @ Flow Festival. Curated by S. Lehtinen, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2016 | Kilometre of Sculpture. Curated by A. Virtanen, Rakvere, Estonia. |
| 2016 | Kuvan Kevät. Project Room Gallery, curated by S. Lehtinen, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2016 | Systems2. Free Art Space, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2016 | Techniques of delusion. KuvaTila Gallery, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2015 | Art Laboratory @ Flow Festival. Curated by J. Räsänen, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2015 | Metamorphoses of the Black Square. Interpretations of Malevich’s Work in Estonian Art. Curated by E.Taidre, KUMU Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2015 | Frozen Species Against the Wall. Curated by G. Biagini, Eskus Performance Center, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2015 | What is Surface? Project Space Gallery, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2015 | Reflections. Curated by E. Pärn, Tallinn Russian Museum, Estonia. |
| 2014 | Playground. Polymer Culture Factory, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2012 | Archaeology and the Future of Estonian Art Scenes. Curated by Rael Artel, KUMU Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2011 | Lost in Transition. Curated by Rael Artel, Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn. |
| 2010 | Project Loop. KUMU Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia; Pärnu Art Museum, Pärnu, Estonia. |
Performances
| 2020 | Easel. Kanuti Gild, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2018 | Art Is Not Just Fun Anymore. Tattoo Performance. Pamenkalnio Gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania. |
| 2018 | Red Dot, UltraViolent. Estonia100 – Self-Identity. Curated by Alina Orav. Kuja Gallery, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2017 | Goodbye my works. Together With Kristina Koobak. Perform or not festival, Culture Factory Polymer, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2015 | Painting Against the Painting Against the Wall. Helsinki Theatre Academy, Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2015 | Frozen Species Project. Curated by G. Biagini. Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2014 | Elephant of Troy. Together with E. Jakubov. Kultuuritolm Festival, Tallinn, Estonia. |
| 2011 | My Journey Ends Here. Together with E. Jakubov, San Marco, Venice, Italy. |
Prizes
| 2017 | Young Painter Prize, Vilnius, Lithuania; |
| 2008 | Estonian Nature Photo, 2nd prize; |
| 2007 | Pärnu Portrait Photo, 1st prize. |
Residencies
| 2020 | Rupert Residency, Vilnius, Lithuania; |
| 2018 | SomoS Art House residency, Berlin, Germany; |
| 2017 | Young Artists Association Studio, Budapest, Hungary. |
Works in Collections
National Gallery of Lithuania, Vilnius, Lithuania;
Seppo Fränti collection, Helsinki, Finland;
Tartu Art Museum, Tartu, Estonia;
Päivi & Paavo Lipponen Foundation;
Kiasma Contemporary Art Museum, Helsinki, Finland;
Kuku Kultuuritorn, Tallinn, Estonia.
