BIO
Marita Liivak is a contemporary painter who lives and works in Tallinn, Estonia. She’s an established advocate for women’s well being and mental health awareness. Her brave approach in telling her personal journey and candid vulnerable presence is what sets her apart from other artists.
As a child Marita taught herself drawing with the help of cartoons, books and the internet. She then earned a BA in Painting in Pallas University of Applied Sciences and spent a year abroad in Sicily, Catania in Accademia di Belle Arti. Shortly after graduation Marita started working in a start-up company called IMEPILT studios. In 3 years she built the company's visual imagery, did animation, concepts, built a creative team, worked on scripts with Disney writers, and reached the position of the CCO. Liivak left IMEPILT studio in 2020 to pursue her own artistic career full time.
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In the past three years as a freelance artist she’s done several exhibitions and established strong relationships with galleries and collectors and has a growing followership and a platform of her own. Alongside being one of the top selling young artists in Estonia she also has a platform on the French site Singulart and US Saatchiart which have provided sales all through the globe from the US to Shanghai and has created a private 8-piece collection for a Chateau in France in 2021.
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In the past 6 years, Liivak has successfully participated in several auctions from Art&Tonic gallery in Tartu, Estonia to Vaal gallery in Tallinn and has an active partnership with Victoria Olt gallery, where she's had three joint exhibitions, one solo exhibition and has another one coming up in January 2024. In 2023, she opened her her solo exhibition titled "Lasnamäe – Beginnings and Endings", which narrates stories ranging from her childhood to more recent tragic events involving her close cousin's violent suicide. The exhibition garnered unprecedented media attention and achieved record-breaking sales. "Lasnamäe: Beginnings and Endings” evolved into a traveling showcase, finding its way from Victoria Olt gallery to Põhjala Tehas and is now showcased in Viljandi Town Gallery until November 2024.
Mona the Museum of New Art hosted the XXX international Nude Art Exhibition “MAN AND WOMAN” where Liivak is participating with the work “Hips, dips and flowers” contemplating men's position in society nowadays and their suppressed vulnerability. Her work is exhibited alongside other artists all over the world including Kostabi (US), Rafal Oblinski (Poland), Michalis Manousakis (Greece) etc.
In other partnerships Liivak worked with a local company Naked love to promote women’s sexual health and well-being, Museum Card (Muuseumikaart) which is a nation-wide museum card with whom she created an on-going traveling illustration exhibition and more recently other big brands like Spotify and Bang&Olufsen. She’s well connected to the local scene and has good relationships with people from various fields. In addition to official exhibition’s Liivak’s individual works are exhibited all over Estonia: in cafes, street galleries etc. She’s given several interviews for digital media and television and was a recurring guest at the local culture show OP, depicting the show’s guests and giving her own interview.
Marita is appreciated in the scene for the work she does for women. She fills a gap in society by showcasing women and herself the way they were meant to be- bold, natural and empowered. In her work with women she dismantles today’s standards and taboos surrounding women’s bodies, liberating them from stigma or any false-understanding of how a woman’s body should look like. In 2020 Liivak faced her own distorted views and eating-disorders which sparked the idea for her next exhibition that will be presented in January 2024: “A love letter in the flesh” which includes live models from Estonia as well as overseas, from celebrities to the most average woman with extraordinary tales about their bodies.