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Madara Neikena

Being

30.05.2018 - 07.07.2018

The essence of the paintings are landscapes: seascapes and mountains. Seascapes are more familiar to me, but mountains are something new. What attracted me to mountains when I first saw them? They evoked different feelings and altered my perception of the horizon. It seemed as if the sky was a dome partially obscured by a mountain range. When I first sighted mountains, I was like a kid witnessing a miracle and feeling a reverence towards nature. I was reminded of Norwegian fairy-tales where huge and weird trolls would emerge from the fog…

Viewed from a distance, trees compared to a mountain seem to be proportionally the same as the height of a man compared to a stately fir-tree. When seen through squinting eyes, the trees swaying in the wind appear to be dancing and whispering secrets to one another.

Compared to mountains or the expanse of the sea and nature in general, man is small, but he can regain his stature in silence and tranquility, but not in unfavorable weather.

In the mountains, days seem to be shorter when a view of the horizon is blocked by high mountains, daylight is scarce and the climate in the mountains is different. While in the mountains I felt I could taste the fog where it is frequent there and thick even in the day-time.

The sea near us, only a short trip to get some fresh air. By the sea man becomes rejuvenated, as the sea renews his strength and removes all that is superfluous.

The artworks are executed in oil on canvas, at one go –alla prima. This is accomplished by using sketches which have been made in the open air. It is essential for me as it is the only way to create an artwork, being eye to eye with nature. But, perhaps being in nature with a brush has developed into a habit.

Any change of environment makes us see things differently. In my paintings I wish to retain at least a tiny bit of nature on canvas, to be here and there forever.

Artist Madara Neikena

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    Madara Neikena. In the sunset. 2017. oil on canvas, 150x200

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    Winter I. 2018. canvas/oil, 150x200

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    Winter III. 2018. canvas/oil, 180x180

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    Mountains IV. 2018. canvas/oil, 150x200

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    Seaside. 2017. Oil on canvas, 150x200

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    Mountains V. 2018. canvas/oil, 150x200

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