Painter, graphic artist and illustrator Jüri Mildeberg born 1965, lives in a small village in the Estonian countryside, approximately 60 km from Tallinn. He lives on a farmhouse with his wife Piret, daughters Susanna and Saara, and two dogs Leijona and Tonttu (Lion and Elf).

Images from the soul’s innermost recesses
The recurrent question is: where do the pictures come from? The artist stands on stage with two empty hands. Suddenly, while he is swinging his arms, an enchanted figure appears before him. He repeats the same movement, the subject changes. The fascination lives on. Mildebergius is an artist who in many ways resembles a magician, a wizard and a sorcerer. His paintings and drawings appear from an empty nothingness. He sits down at his desk, takes out pens and crayons. Soon, with great skill, a strange world begins to emerge on the sheet of paper. “I make art the way bees build their hives”, says Mildebergius. It is the realization of an internal order of nature. “Art is the only thing I master and therefore it is the substance of my life.” For Mildebergius, art leads the way to open the gate to another world and another time. When he enters into his art, all borders are wiped out and the artist wanders in the landscape of his fantasy, like traveling troubadour or a wandering actor who is constantly changing shape. The images that thus emerge from the depths are figures from a tale whose shape evolves through the artist. Animals and people, jesters and harlequins drawn in full-bodied oil pastel with the mark of a fairy-tale on their foreheads. Mildebergius is a piece of commedia dell’arte, a part of Brueghel. He is like a song on the lips of the people. Like Tarot picture cards.
Dan Sundell
Art Critic

Exhibitions:

1989 Kunstisalong, Tallinn, Estonia
1990 Kuressaare Linna, Estonia
1992 G-Galerii, Tallinn, Estonia
1992 Tokko & Arrak Galerii, Tallinn, Estonia
1993 Draakon Galerii, Tallinn Estonia
1994 G-Galerii, Tallinn, Estonia
1995 Kastellaanimaja, Tallinn, Estonia
1995 Draakon Galerii, Tallinn, Estonia
1996 Galleria Savarte, Kotka, Finland
1997 Galleria Artegrafica, Helsinki, Finland
1997 Draakon Galerii, Tallinn, Estonia
1997 Galleria Kapriisi, Kuopio, Finland
1997 Galleria Duetto, Helsinki, Finland
1998 Art Gallery Kogen-Illust-Kan, Tokyo, Japan
1998 Obu Galerii, Tartto, Estonia
1998 Pyhäniemen kartano, Hollola, Finland
1998 Stadsgalérie, Gouda, Holland
1998 Gallery Loft, Hanko, Finland
1999 Art Gallery Kogen-Illust-Kan, Tokyo, Japan
1999 Sammas Galerii, Tallinn, Estonia
1999 Galleria Pintura, Helsinki, Finland
1999 Pyhäniemen kartano, Hollola, Finland
1999 Galleria Sirius, Jyväskylä, Finland
1999 Galleria Kapriisi, Kuopio, Finland
2000 Galleria Maria, Helsinki, Finland
2000 Linnagalerii, Pärnu, Estonia
2000 Draakon Galerii, Tallinn, Estonia
2000 Haus Galerii, Tallinn, Estonia
2000 Pyhäniemen kartano, Hollola, Finland
2000 Galleria Sirius, Jyväskylä, Finland
2000 Art Gallery Kogen-Illust-Kan, Tokyo, Japan
2001 Pyhäniemen kartano, Hollola, Finland
2001 Galerie Hörhammer, Helsinki, Finland
2002 Art gallery Kogen-Illust-Kan, Tokyo, Japan
2002 Haus Galerii, Tallinn, Estonia
2003 Le Loft de l'Encadr'Heure, Strasbourg, France
2003 Art Gallery Kogen-Illust-Kan, Tokyo, Japan
2004 Galleria Savarte, Kotka, Finland
2004 Embassy of Estonia, Helsinki, Finland