2010 – Dark Land

  • Exhibition view
  • Exhibition view
  • "Envy", 81 x 65, oil on canvas plexiglass, 2010
  • "Egoism", 81 x 65, oil on canvas plexiglass, 2010
  • "Experience", 81 x 65, oil on canvas plexiglass, 2010
  • "Climate", 81 x 65, oil on canvas plexiglass, 2010
  • "Self realization", 81 x 65, oil on canvas plexiglass, 2010
  • Installation view of world map, locateing the Estonian talents
  • Installation view of world map, locateing the Estonian talents
  • Installation view of world map, locateing the Estonian talents
  • "Second wave" 0´55´´ still
  • "Second wave" 0´55´´ still
  • "Second wave" 0´55´´ still

By Indrek Grigor

The most direct parallels can be found with the installation “Dark Land” (2010) exhibited in Hobusepea Gallery in Tallinn. In the centre of the exhibition was an actual national project “Bringing Talents Home”. Murka named five reasons why people leave their home country: self-realization, climate, experience, egoism, and envy. These five reasons were written in red on the Plexiglas covering the portraits. What was noteworthy about the installation was that the maps that covered the gallery’s second floor walls were black. Murka commented on the choice herself in an interview given to Elin Kard: “A talent’s home shouldn’t be tied to one continent or country. A talent should be cosmopolitan. A talent should live wherever she feels best and most comfortable.” Murka does not name politics as one of the reasons to leave one’s home country, and instead of the highlighting the politics of destination countries, she rather points out how personal they are by painting her own preferred destination countries (?) black but depicting a pair of eyes on them.