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Alexei Gordin

painting, performance, video

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.

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 IdaEuroopa 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.

Works
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Acrylic on canvas, 60 × 80 cm, 2018
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Video; Edition 2 + 1AP, 2018
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Acrylic on canvas, 57 x 80 cm, 2019
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Acrylic on canvas, 40 × 60 cm, 2020
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Acrylic on canvas, 70 × 50 cm, 2021
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Acrylic on canvas, 78 × 59 cm, 2020
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Acrylic on canvas, 75 × 95 cm, 2021
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Acrylic on canvas, 90 × 80 cm, 2021
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Acrylic on canvas, 100 × 45 cm, 2022
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Acrylic on canvas, 72 × 57 cm, 2022
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Acrylic on canvas, 115 × 90 cm, 2023
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Acrylic on canvas, 56 × 40 cm, 2023
1250 €
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Acrylic and spray on canvas, 115 × 90 cm, 2023
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Acrylic on canvas, 45 × 56 cm, 2023
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Acrylic and spray on canvas, 65 × 90 cm, 2023

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