The exhibition “Those Who Are on the Other Side” by Belliisi Seenemaa grew out of the artist’s wish to draw attention to important souls who have left a profound mark and who now exist beyond physically perceivable reality.
“In many Estonian families there are relatives who are never spoken about, and others who have remained missing. There are family lines that are gradually fading away. All of these aspects inspired me to capture and preserve, if only for a moment, the presence of those souls who once touched someone deeply here on earth.”
The process, which began with the artist’s personal grief, gradually expanded. In addition to the artist’s own recordings, the exhibition also presents personal stories and memories from other people in Estonia — those who responded to Seenemaa’s invitation to share photographs, objects, and stories about significant souls. The works depict people from different parts of Estonia, including some whose origins have remained uncertain.
From these shared stories and visual materials, new works were created using the cyanotype technique. Cyanotype, which requires sunlight to reveal the image, is one of the earliest photographic processes and resonates in many ways with the themes explored in the exhibition. In the early days of photography, it was believed that taking a photograph captured a person’s soul, or a part of it. Yet photography also allows us, in retrospect, to reconnect with those who are no longer among us.
The deep blue tone characteristic of this technique is at once watery and celestial, but also icy, melancholic, and pure. Many compositions incorporate plants — symbols often associated with the human soul and with the state between life and transience.
“While exploring this idea more broadly, I have come to understand that those on ‘the other side’ may not only be those who have passed away, but also those who, due to old age or psychological changes, no longer remember themselves. On the other side may also be those who never came into this world, or those whose presence we sense but whom we have never met.”
Belliisi Seenemaa (b. 1990, Võru) is a freelance artist and art teacher working in the fields of textile and contemporary art. Her creative practice is characterized by an experimental approach and the blending of different techniques.
Belliisi studied decorative styling at the Tartu Art School and textile art at Pallas University of Applied Sciences in Tartu. She has further developed her practice in Berlin in the field of e-textiles and the combination of textiles with technology, studied archaic leatherworking techniques in France, and learned traditional methods of working with plant fibers and dyes in Estonia.
In earlier years, her artistic focus explored symbolism, ritual themes, and objects. Today, nostalgia and an interest in nature-based techniques play a central role in her work.
Alongside her artistic education, Belliisi has also studied transpersonal psychology and hypnotherapy, which she combines with art therapy practices. She shares a textile studio at the Põhjala Factory with Merle Nisuma, where they organize various workshops together.
Website: https://www.seenemaa.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seenemaa/
The exhibition remains open until 4 April 2026.
Kuressaare Town Hall Gallery
Tallinna tn 2, Kuressaare
Opening hours: Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00, Sat 10:00–15:00