Estonian artist (born 1987)
Artrovert; Tartu Kunstimuuseum
trained at Estonian Academy of Arts · trained at University of Tartu
Mihkel Ilus, view to exhibition "Up to a Point" with Árpád Forgó, curated by Gábor Pintér at Klaipėda Culture Communication Center (KKKC), 2024. Photo by: Gediminas Sass Mihkel Ilus (1987) is visual artist, who works in the expanded field of painting. Often, he makes large installations to which a painterly approach is central. An important part of his oeuvre is made up of an intertwining critical approach to contemporary exhibition culture and performance art. Lately, he has been focusing on the effect of object-based art in the settings of the black box and white cube. One of his first painting-critical exhibitions was “Robusto” (2013), in which he exhibited constructive architectonic objects, from which expressive canvas surfaces were robustiously clinging on. Seldom aesthetic methods and similar treatment of canvas was continued in the series “First Method” (2014), in which Ilus experimented with ornamental and other decorative intentions on stripped frames. His master thesis’ project “Outlet Workspace” (2015) progressed from the surface of the canvas by exhibiting a voluminous installation made of fluorescent lamps. The found-situationist work, derived from the former factory’s conditions and material memory, followed the same compositional notions as tension, rhythm, figure, surface, contour, which are used for describing a painting, allowing to understand “painting” and “painterly” much more freely.
Browse 6 works in the catalogue →
Also trained at University of Tartu: Peeter Allik · Richard Uutmaa · Siim-Tanel Annus · Eerik Haamer · Maire Männik
Also trained at Estonian Academy of Arts: Eduard Wiiralt · Evald Okas · Andrus Johani · Johann Naha · Jüri Arrak
Contemporaries in Tartu Kunstimuuseum: Aleksei Gordin · Alevtina Kakhidze · Maarit Murka · Jane Remm · Soho Fond
| Year | Title | Technique | Dimensions | Held by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Esimene meetod I | mixed technique | laius: 80.0 cm; kõrgus: 120.0 cm | Tartu Kunstimuuseum |
| 2014 | Esimene meetod II | mixed technique | laius: 80.0 cm; kõrgus: 120.0 cm | Tartu Kunstimuuseum |
| 2014 | Esimene meetod III | mixed technique | laius: 80.0 cm; kõrgus: 120.0 cm | Tartu Kunstimuuseum |
| 2014 | Esimene meetod IV | mixed technique | laius: 100.0 cm; kõrgus: 120.0 cm | Tartu Kunstimuuseum |
| 2023 | Give up, and leave all behind VI | author’s technique on veneer | 100 × 120 cm | Artrovert |
| 2023 | Give up, and leave all behind VIII | the author’s technique on veneer | 120 × 100 cm | Artrovert |
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Data from MuIS and the EKM Digital Collection. Full catalogue