Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Oil on canvas. 1988.
Signature: LEIS 88 / KOMPOSITSIOON PORGANDITEGA II 100×100 ÕLI LÕUEND 1988 LEIS MALLE TALLINN ESTONIA

The large-scale “Composition with carrots II” showcases the talents of one of the most well-known representatives of Estonian pop art, Malle Leis (1940-2017), at her best. This time, the focus is on domestic fruit and vegetables that look as if they have arrived straight from the field, as well as foreign treats that add an exotic touch and excitement to the painting.

The detailed paintings of nature form a passionate assemblage in vivid, colorful tones but they do not belong to any specific space like in the works of 17th-century Flemish painters. As always, Leis places her objects in an abstract space where they float as if weightless. Her love of monochromatic backgrounds became a kind of conceptual way to highlight the beauty of the portrayed. The domestic carrot, reflected in the title, symbolizes Estonia in its central position in a figurative sense.

Text: Harry Liivrand, Katre Palm