Maria Erikson (b.Estonia) lives and works in Tallinn and Oslo. She holds a master printer certificate as a collaborative lithography printer from world renown Tamarind Institute (NM, USA) and received her MFA degree in printmaking study area from the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki (FI). Engagement and contact are central in her work. She explores notions of matrix, multiplication and communication in the context of materiality and time. Seeking to re-think the subject and object in printmaking, she investigates transformations of material through wear and contact, the methodology of craft and the process of art-making, and the ephemeral nature of material itself.
Recent exhibitions include: Soft Touch on the Deckle in Gallery Draakon (EE), Gallery Ratamo (FI) and Museum of Lithography (SWE); Notes From Borderspace in ARS Project Room, Estonia (2022); Bolaget Vardagsbilder: GRAFIK, Galleri Sander, Sweden (2021).
Photo: Liina Siib
Education
2022 MFA, printmaking study area, Academy of Fine Arts of the Uniarts Helsinki, Finland
2015 Tamarind Master Printer Program, Tamarind Institute, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
2014 Tamarind Printer Training Program, Tamarind Institute, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
2012 Artistic Concept Development (project year), Göteborgs Konstskola, Gothenburg, Sweden
2009 Fine Art Printmaking and Artists´ Books, Grafikskolan i Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
Solo exhibitions
2024 GÜ Gallery, ARS Art Factory, Tallinn, EE
2023 Soft Touch on A Deckle (III), Museum of Lithography, Sundby Gård, SWE
2023 Soft Touch on A Deckle (II), Ratamo Gallery, Jyväskylä, FI
2023 Soft Touch on A Deckle, Draakoni galleri, Tallinn, EE
2022 Notes from Borderspace, ARS Project Space, Tallinn, EE
2020 Ideal Landscapes, Gallery Göteborgs Konstförening, Lilla galleriet, Gothenburg, SWE
2020 Borderspace, Project Room Gallery, Helsinki, FI
2017 Interlude, Gallery Grafiska Sällskapet, Stockholm, SWE
2016 Shared Intimacy, Gallery Grafik i Väst, Gothenburg, SWE
2013 Imaginary Landscape Series, Gallery Grafiska Sällskapet, Stockholm, SWE
2009 If You Look Long Enough Eventually You´ll See Me, Nationalgalleriet, Stockholm, SWE
2006 Illusions, Jõhvi Concert Hall, Jõhvi, EE
Group exhibitions
2024 Norske Grafikere Gallery, Oslo, Norway
2023 Pindadest, piiridest, omaruumidest, cur. Britta Benno, Raplamaa Kaasaegse Kunsti Keskus, EE
2021 Bolaget Vardagsbilder: GRAFIK, Galleri Sander, Norrköping, SWE
2021 Taidegrafiikan tapa olla – materiality, collaboration and agency, Exhibition Laboratory, Helsinki, FI
2020 Resemblance Through Contact. Grammar of Imprint, cur. Liina Siib, Maria Erikson, EKA galerii, Tallinn, EE
2020 Resemblance Through Contact. Grammar of Imprint, cur. Liina Siib, Maria Erikson, Tartu Art House, Tartu, EE
2020 Language of Belonging, cur. Linda Ciesielski, Exhibition Laboratory, Helsinki, FI
2020 Bolaget Vardagsbilder Idag, Kungsbacka konsthall, Kungsbacka, SWE
2019 Graphica Creativa – Hereafter, 15th International Printmaking Triennial, Jyväskyla Art Museum, Jyväskyla, FI
2019 Kuvan Kevät, MFA degree exhibition, Exhibition Laboratory, Helsinki, FI
2019 Bolaget Vardagsbilder Idag, Steneby Konsthall, Dals Långed, SWE
2019 Viscosity: Women of Print, Crow’s Shadow Print Studio & Gallery, Pendleton, OR // Frontline Arts, NJ, USA // (2019) Link and Pin Gallery, Austin, TX, USA // (2018) Noise Gallery, Bloomington, IN, USA
2018 Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, Impact 10, Biblioteca Central de Cantabria, Santander, ES
2017 The Wanderlust Matrix: A Long Distance Relationship, The Sarah A. Count Gallery, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA // (2016) River Campus Art Gallery, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO, USA // (2016) Small Engine Gallery, Albuquerque, NM, USA
2015 7th International Lithographic Symposium, Tidaholm, SWE
2015 Ladies´ Choice: An Exhibition of Women Lithographers from the Tamarind Institute, Satellite Contemporary, Las Vegas, NV, USA
2014 Rock Paper Pressure, Tamarind Institute Gallery, Albuquerque, NM, USA
2012 Gallery Konstepidemin, Gothenburg, SWE
2012 Etthundra Konstnärer, Björngårdsvillan, Gothenburg, SWE
2011 Ung Grafik, Grafikens Hus, Mariefred, Sweden 2010 ENDEGRA exhibition, Gallery Human Culture, Imatra, FI
2010 6th Lithographic Symposium, Tidaholm, SWE
2009 Lyckotal, Studio Otecknad, Stockholm, SWE
2009 Gallery Kocks, four-person exhibition, Stockholm, SWE
2009 9000 Back, Gallery Kocks, Stockholm, SWE
Juried group exhibitions
2020 Grafiktriennal XVI, Nordic Contemporary Print Triennial, Sweden; Gallery Sander, Norrköping (january), Trelleborgs Museum, Trelleborg (april), Kulturens Hus, Luleå (november)
2019 11th BIECTR Print Biennale, La corporation de la Biennale internationale d’estampe contemporaine de Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
2019 II LITHO-Kielce 2018/2019, International Lithography Triennial, Kielce, Poland, jurors: prof. Thomas Riesing (USA), prof. Marek Sak (Poland), prof. Mateusz Otręba (Poland), mgr Stanisława Zacharko-Łagowska (Poland)
2019 SGCI 2019-2021 Member’s Traveling Exhibition, The Gallery at UTA, The University of Texas at Arlington, TX, USA, juror: Jane Hammond (artist, NY)
2018 International lithography competition, Münchner Künstlerhaus, Munich, Germany, jurors: Prof. Dr. Claus Hipp, Prof. Karl Imhof, Gesa Puell, Franz Hoke, Melissa Mayer Galbraith, Tom Kristen
2018 MTG, International Print Triennial, International Centre for Graphic Arts, Krakow, Poland, jurors: Sean Caulfield (Canada), Thomas Kilpper (Germany), Marta Anna Raczek-Karcz (Poland), Breda Škrjanec (Slovenia), Krzysztof Tomalski (Poland)
2017 Splitgraphic 8, Old City Hall, Split, Croatia, juror: Ingrid Ledent (Royal Art Academy Antwerp in Belgium)
2017 The Print Center´s 91st Annual International Competition, finalist, http://printcenter.org/91st/erikson/, The Print Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA, jurors: Kelly Baum, Jennifer Farrell (both of the Metropolitan Museum of Art)
2016 Celebrating Print, BBLA Gallery at Bohemian National Hall, NY, USA, juror: Mildred Beltre (Associate Professor at University of Vermont)
Grants/scholarships/awards
2023 Printmaker of a Year, Estonian Printmakers, EE
2021 Ann-Margret Lindell Foundation Scholarship, Stockholm, SWE
2020 General Grant, Academy of Fine Art, FI
2019 Eduard Wiiralt Foundation grant, Estonian Ministry of Culture, EE
2017 Grafiska Sällskapet (The Swedish Printmakers´ Association) Scholarship, Stockholm, SWE
2012 Getfotsfonden Foundation Scholarship, Stockholm, SWE
2012 Eric Ericson Foundation Fellowship, Gothenburg, SWE
2008 Ann-Margret Lindell Foundation Scholarship, Stockholm, SWE
Residencies
2022 Björkö Konstnod, Björkö, SWE
2017 Grafikwerkstatt Dresden, Dresden, DE
2008 Grafikens Hus, Mariefred, SWE
Works in collections
Jyväskylä Art Museum, Jyväskylä, FI
Mölndals stad, Mölndal, SWE
Nordeas Konstförening, Stockholm, SWE
Region Örebro Län, Örebro, SWE
Statens Kulturråd, Stockholm, SWE
Västra Götalandsregionen, Gothenburg, SWE
Memberships
Grafik i Väst, Gothenburg, SWE
Europen Network for Education and Development in Printmaking (ENDEGRA)
Southern Graphics Council International (SGCI), USA
Professional experiences
2023- assistant professor, Oslo National Academy of the Arts, Ar&Craft, subject area of Print and Drawing, Oslo, Norway
2021–2022 visiting lecturer, Estonian Academy of Arts, department of Graphic Art, Tallinn, Estonia
2015- technician; head of the print workshop (since aug. 2019), Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallinn, Estonia
2016–2021 guest teacher for lithography, Academy of Fine Arts of Uniarts Helsinki, Finland
2014–2015 apprentice printer, Tamarind Institute, NM, Albuquerque, USA
Bibliography
Lilli-Krõõt Repnau, Materiaalsuse serval, Sirp, 27/1/2023. EE
Laura Kuusk, Graafika grammatika, Vikerkaar, 9/2020. 121-123. EE
Pontus Kyander, Konstkollen: Papper, brustna hjärtan och flata flabb, Ny Tid, 3/2020. FI
Katja Matikainen, Kuvan Kevät on maanläheinen ja valoisa, Mustekala Kulttuurilehti (mustekla.info), 5/2019. FI
Björn Bredström, Nya Medlemmar, Grafiknytt, no. 3, 1/2013. SWE
Björn Bredström, Maria Erikson, ny grafiker på väg, Grafiknytt, no. 4, 2009. 11-13. SWE
Additional information
Virumaa Literature Prize (Estonia) 2013 recipients Kristiina Ehin and Valdur Mikita were awarded with artworks "Imaginary Landscape No. 3" and "Imaginary Landscape No. 4"