PRESS RELEASE

Gudrun Koppel’s exhibition “She hoped that Angels see and understand – She hoped that someone sees and understands”
in Draakon gallery will be opened on Monday, 3rd of August at 18.00. The exhibition remains open until August 29.




Just as a mythical snake that devours itself from its tail continues to eat its tail in a total endless eternal circle, so
everything is the same and has already happened here under the Sun. In retrospect, arbitrary generalizations are
made, about which there is no complete truth, because narratives have been interpreted as reflective in the world
behind the mirror. The way angels are portrayed, as we understand them in the Western Christian world, comes
from Persia, the oldest monotheistic religion, Zoroastrianism.

The island of Antirhodos sank to the seabed due to a tsunami caused by an earthquake in the 4th century.
According to sources, the sea retreated from the port on August 21, 365: ships sank sideways, sand was filled with
gobbling fish, people wandered aimlessly along empty streets. The city was then invaded by a body of water,
throwing water and ships over houses - a disaster that killed 50,000 people in Alexandria alone. She hoped that
Angels would see and understand. Based on historical sources, the city ruins were found intact in 1996 in the
port of Alexandria at a depth of 6 meters.

It is known that one of the first female mathematicians worked in the same city. The astronomer and philosopher
Hypatia (355 - 415) lived and taught in Alexandria during this stormy time. In March 415, she was attacked by a
group of Christians led by the then patriarch. They tore Hypatia’s clothes, cut out her eyes - she was torn to pieces,
her limbs were carried in a cart through the city and finally set on fire. She hoped that someone would see and
understand. This event is seen as the beginning of the end of the educational and cultural center of the then empire
in Alexandria.

St. Catherine the Great (287-305) did not want to renounce her faith in the city of Alexandria, and as punishment
she was so brutally and so long punished by the pagan authorities that her whole body was covered with wounds
from which blood gushed out. During her captivity, angels wounded her wounds, she was fed by a heavenly dove.
When the wheel of torture, which was meant to end her life, broke, her head was finally taken off. She knew that
Angels see and understand. According to tradition, the angels took Catherine's body to Mount Sinai, where
St. Catherine's Monastery still operates today.

And when little Estike had given rat poison to her cat with milk, grabbing the dead cat and taking a firm step into the
ruins of Weinkheim Castle to do the same, she felt peace within herself and smiled at how things were connected;
she felt that these events were no longer connected by chance and coincidence, but that an indescribably beautiful
meaning curved as a bridge over the emptiness between them… She knew full well that the angels were already on
their way. (László Krasznahorkai “Satantango ”)

The graphic compositions depict an arbitrary reference to kummastused (Kummastus is a manner used in art through
which the object is taken out of the perception routine. Things are disconnected from the habitual connections, resulting
in a special perception of the object, not recognition) And everything can be given meaning, because the background is
historical, but the approach is arbitrary. The ready-made graphics (old anatomical drawings, photographs) used in the
visually saturated world are snakes that devour themselves. The eternal subconscious story of capturing something has
created an obscure narrative. An approach that is ephemeral and vanishing and eternally repetitive: She hoped that
Angels see and understand, she hoped that someone sees and understands.

The Artist’s gratitude goes to: Cultural Endowment of Estonia, UBUNOIR, Lauri Koppel

Exhibitions in Draakon gallery are supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Ministry of Culture and Liviko Ltd.

CV

Gudrun Koppel
Born in Tallinn
Works in various places
gudrunheamagi@gmail.com
gudrun.tumblr.com

Education
2011–2013    Estonian Academy of Arts MA in Graphic art
2008–2011    Estonian Academy of Arts BA in Graphic art
2010              Aalto University School of Art and Design (Graphic design) Helsinki

2013  Estonian Artists’ Association
2012  Association of Estonian Printmakers
2012  Ubu Noir Printmaking Workshop (Albatross Editions)

Solo exhibition
2020 She hoped that Angels see and understand - She hoped that someone sees and
        understands. Draakoni Gallery (Tallinn, Estonia)
2018 Even though the stars’ motion is an illusion caused by our own motion, it looks
        perfectly real – Kummastused
2017 All that is now land was once the sky. Estonian Parliament Gallery (Tallinn, Estonia)
2016 All that is now land was once the sky. Draakoni Gallery (Tallinn, Estonia)
2016 Albatross. Galleria Contempo (Helsinki, Finland) With Harri Leppänen, Veera Nykanen,
        Lauri Koppel.
2014 Introducing: Gudrun Heamägi. Art Window (Tallinn, Estonia)
2013 All the Pretty Little Horses (Kasterlee, Belgium) Link
2013 First Sun Syndrome. Draakoni Gallery (Tallinn, Estonia) Together with Lauri Koppel.
2012 Kolmas Lõige. VonKrahl Gallery (Tallinn). Read more: Müürileht
2012 Hocus Focus. Estonian Academy of Arts Pseudo Gallery (Tallinn)

Curated exhibition
2019 As Above So Below. Yerevan Modern Art Museum (Yerevan, Armenia)
2018 Imprimo→ Ubunoir. 5malūnai (Vilnius, Lithuania)

International group exhibition
2019 As Above So Below. Yerevan Modern Art Museum (Yerevan, Armenia)
2019 Wiiralt Prize exhibition. Estonian National Library (Tallinn, Estonia)
2019 Estonian 100 in Latvia. Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre (Daugavpils, Latvia)
2018 A distance. Printmaking, des pays Scandinaves à l'Asie centrale. Galerie de l'Est
        (Compiègne, France)
2018 Lithography days. Münchner Künstlerhaus (Munich, Germany)
2018 Estonia 100 in Latvia 100. Mark Rothko Art Centre (Daugavpils, Latvia)
2017 EST+LT+DE=Grafik (Karlsruhe, Germany)
2017 First International Print Biennale Yerevan 2017 (Armenia)
2017 MIRROR. Rahvusraamatukogu (Tallinn)
2017 MIRROR. Vicenza (Italy)
2016 Premio Combat 2016 (Livorno, Italy)
2016 International Print Award Carmen Arozena 2016 (Madrid, Spain)
2016 Baltic Drawing. Imatran Kaupungintalo (Imatra, Finland)
2015 DI CARTA / PAPERMADE 2a edizione Biennale Internazionale di Opere di CartaEtica /
        Estetica. Palazzo Fogazzaro (Schio, Italy). Catalogue
2015 ALBATROSS. Galleria Vitriini, Porvoon Taidetehdas (Porvoo, Finland) Together with
        Harri Leppänen, Veera Nykanen, Lauri Koppel, Kristian Krokfors.
2015 International Lithographic Symposium (Tidaholm, Sweden)
2015 The Association of Estonian Printmakers exhibition in Finland (Finland, different
        locations)
2015 Splitgraphic (Split, Croatia). Catalogue
2015 Kaliningrad Printmaking Biennial (Kaliningrad, Russia). Catalogue
2015 Tallinn 5th Drawing Triennial (Kunstihoone, Tallinn)
2015 The Association of Estonian Printmakers  exhibition in Yerevan (Yerevan, Armenia).
2015 International Printmaking Biennial (Šiauliai, Lithuania)
2015 Kaunas International Printmaking Biennial (Kaunas, Lithuania).
2015 Colloque Melancholia. Le Centre d’artistes Vaste et Vague (Carleton-sur-Mer, Canada)
2014 XVII th GERMAN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF GRAPHIC ART. Berlin (Germany).
2014 8e BIECTR - Sélection. Maison des arts Desjardins Drummondville. (Québec, Canada).
2013 The 28th Chelsea International Fine Art Competition. Agora Gallery (New York, USA).
2013 Biennale internationale d’estampe contemporaine de Trois-Rivières
        (Québec, Canada).
2013 Where is Printmaking? In Search of New Meanings. Opole Contemporary Art Gallery
        (Opole, Poland).
2013 International Print Triennial Falun 2013 (Falun, Sweden)
2012 International Print Triennial - Krakow. Main exhibition (Krakow, Poland).
2012 International Triennial of Contemporary Graphic Arts in Novosibirsk
        (Novosibirsk, Russia).
2012 Sounds like Revolution. IV Tallinn Drawing Triennial. Dialogue. VonKrahl Gallery
        (Tallinn)

Selected group exhibition
2019 As Above So Below. Yerevan Modern Art Museum (Yerevan, Armenia)
2017 Teispool reaalsust. Tartu Kunstimaja (Tartu, Estonia)
2017 Kohtumine iseendaga. Tartu Trükimuuseum (Tartu, Estonia)
2015 The Estonian Artists’ Association’s Spring Exhibition (Linnagalerii, Tallinn)
2015 Wiiralt prize exhibition. National Library (Tallinn)
2014 Kunstnikult Raamatukogule. National Library (Tallinn)
2013 Kokkumäng. Evald Okase Muuseum (Haapsalu)
2013 Live Print! Graafika In Festival. Endla teater (Pärnu)
2013 Tase13’. Rotermanni Soolaladu. (Tallinn, Estonia)
2012 15. PÄRNU IN GRAAFIKA FESTIVAL - Best Prints Ever - Live Brain Branding!
        (Pärnu, Estonia)

Residency
2013 Frans Masereel Centrum (Belgium). Password Printmaking Program

Awards
2019 Wiiralt Prize for best printmaking series
2017 Special Prize by Jury Member Prof. Dr. Mateusz Otreba

2016 Galerii-G and Royal Talens’ year prize
2015 Honorable Mention in Tallinn 5th Drawing Triennial
2013 Honorable Mention Biennale internationale d’estampe contemporaine de Trois-Rivières
2011 Edmund Valtman Prize for young printmakers

Published
2020 – Zeitschrift für. Berlin. June issue 2020 https://zeitschrift-fuer.de
2019 Üha enam ofsetlitot ja digitrükki. Sirp. Mai Levin. 29.03.2019
2018 Spontaansus pole kummastusest kaugel: kahe graafikakunstniku dialoogist. KUNST.EE. Elnara Taidre
2018 Komistuskivi ja pahanduskalju. Postimees. Vappu Thurlow. 30.07.2018
2017 Jalutuskäik galeriides – Postutoopiast postgraafika keeles. Sirp. Elnara Taidre.     
         22.09.2017
2017 Künstlerinnen aus Estland und Litauen in Karlsruhe herzlich empfangen. Baltikum
         Blatt. Aino Siebert. 20.02.2017
2016  Fatti di carta. This Is Not Art. Teresa Francesca Giffone. 11.03.2016
2015 … ja alguses oli joon. Must ja valge. Maaleht. Riin Kübarsepp. 29.08.2015
2015 Mängulisuse tähe all. Eesti graafika elab edasi. Sirp. Mai Levin 27.03.2015
2014 Pealelend: Lauri Koppel and Gudrun Heamägi. Sirp. Reet Varblane 30.04.2014
2013 TROIS RIVIÈRES SURVEY. Printeresting. 05.07.2013
2013 Jalutuskäik galeriides: Liitmine üheks. Sirp. Andri Ksenofontov 01.03.2013
2012 Kompromissitriennaal. Sirp. Vappu Thurlow. 06.09.2012
2012 Gudrun Heamägi ja „Hookus Fookus”. Müürileht 20 : Kevad 2012. Triin Tulgiste
        11.04.2012
2011 Mapigraafikast. Sirp. Andri Ksenofontov 20.05.2011

Works in collections

Mark Rothko Art Center (Latvia), Estonian National Library (Tallinn), Agora Gallery. New York (USA), Frans Masereel Centrum (Belgium), International Print Biennale Yerevan (Yerevan), Biennale internationale d’estampe contemporaine de Trois-Rivières  (Québec, Canada), International Print Triennial Krakow. Krakow (Poland), GERMAN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF GRAPHIC ART. Berlin (Germany), Brita Prinz Arte (Spain), Premio Combat Prize (Italy), Private collections