Maria Izabella Lehtsaar (b. 1998) is a non-binary artist based in Tallinn, who works primarily with underrepresented queer experience and narrative, often playing with the boundaries between reality and fantasy. Their work often narrates of spaces and hidden symbols and encoded meanings in queer and lesbian material culture.
Maria Izabella’s work catches the eye through softness, which loudly touches on subjects of gender performativity and construction that creates a binary and lonely world.
In their work they blend pop culture aesthetics and sensitive monochrome graphics, combining them in practice with textiles, drawing and poetry. Their use of various mediums visually bend the familiarity with layered meanings.
Education
2020–2024 Estonian Academy of Arts, contemporary art MA
2022 Mainz Academy of Arts, Megan Francis Sullivans class. Germany, Mainz (exchange semester)
2017–2020 Estonian Academy of Arts, graphic arts BA
Selected solo exhibitions
2024 Bruised Lilac. Keldrisaal of Kanuti Gildi Saal, Tallinn. Curated by Mikk Lahesalu
2023 blessed are those who wrestle with angels. Infinite Life galley, Tallinn
2023 Beauty in the Belly of the Beast (with Sarah Nõmm). Draakon gallery, Tallinn. Curated by Anita Kodanik and Brigit Arop
2022 Hardcore Gentleness (with Sarah Nõmm). Vent Space, Tallinn. Curated by Anita Kodanik and Brigit Arop
2022 Your Brain Is a Bedroom/ turvaliselt lilla. Post Gallery Online
Selected group exhibitions
2024 in a maze. Klaipėda Culture Communication Centre, Klaipėda. Curated by 12:15 Reading Room
2024 Amphibian State (of Mind). EKA gallery, Tallinn. Curated by Maria Erikson
2024 We Don’t Do This. Intimacy, Norms and Fantasies in Baltic Art, MO Museum, Vilnius. Curated by Inga Lāce, Adomas Narkevičius, Rebeka Põldsam
2024 Enese õrnad žestid, EKA gallery, Tallinn. Curated by Kaisa Maasik
2023 Pindadest, piiridest, omaruumisedst. Rapla Contemporary Art Centre, Rapla. Curated by Britta Benno
2023 Don’t cross their boundaries! Estonian Academy of Arts billboard gallery, Tallinn
2022 Slow Maneuvers. EKKM, Tallinn. Curated by Riin Maide and Brit Kikas
2020 RESEMBLANCE THROUGH CONTACT. GRAMMAR OF IMPRINT. 03.07.–26.07.2020, Tartu Art House, 28.08.–30.09.2020, EKA Gallery. Curated by Liina Siib and Maria Erikson
2019 Soft Narratives. Kraam Artist-run space, Tallinn. Curated by Lilli-Krõõt Repnau
Other projects
2024 Performative installation Hardcore Gentleness: Hetaira’s Invitation, @space for etc. Tallinn
Grants and awards
2023 Eduard Wiiralt Scholarship
2023 Newcomer of the Year Award, Association of Estonian Printmakers
2021 Edmund Valtman Foundation Scholarship
Upcoming projects
2025 Curating of The Youth Exhibition of 19th Tallinn Print Triennal (with Anita Kodanik). EKA Gallery, Tallinn
2025 Anna-Stina Treumund: How to Recognise a Lesbian? KUMU, Tallinn