From October 28th to 31st, 2021, the ART art fair took place in Innsbruck, Austria, where three of my works were displayed on the wall. Van Gogh Gallery in Madrid contacted me and offered a spot on their wall. At first, I hesitated, but I didn't think twice and seized the opportunity.
- Vienna, Austria, view from the accommodation
Six months later, I was on my way to Vienna, where I spent the majority of my time, and on the last day of the fair, I went to Innsbruck. I woke up in the middle of the night to catch a train to the other end of the country, but 10 minutes before the train's departure, I found out that there was a train accident on the tracks, and I had to catch a different train in a different location. With my head spinning, I ran through the large train station, but I managed to catch the train just in time. From Vienna, I took a train to Salzburg and then a bus. I fell asleep and woke up to find myself in Munich, Germany. However, my surprise was greater than the problem itself because it turned out that it was the bus's natural route. Upon arrival, I walked through Innsbruck with excitement, seeing all the flyers and posters around the city for "Innsbruck ART 2021". With the temperature at 20 degrees, strong wind blowing, a wide smile on my face, and the adrenaline from riding an electric scooter at high speed, all the elements were perfect for a memorable experience.
- Linz, Austria, view from the bus
Upon arriving at OlympiaWorld Hall, I felt small. My small 40x60cm paintings seemed to disappear among the large canvases that were several meters tall. Moreover, the artists present there generally had a long history and impressive achievements, which was a bit intimidating but also exciting. I went around and spoke with different artists about their works, process, background, and gradually started to feel more and more at ease, like a fish in water.
- Olympiaworld in Innsbruck
After leaving, I rode the electric scooter until the light started to fade, taking pictures and even conquering a mountain. From the top of the ski jump tower, I witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets of my life. I bought a bottle of wine and briefly visited a McDonald's - that's where my adventure took a slight downhill turn. I made it back to the bus and safely returned to Salzburg. However, when it was time to catch the train, a problem arose as the expected transportation at 3 am didn't show up. There were about 15 of us stranded, some crying, some yelling, and some panicking. I opened the bottle of wine from my bag, sat down, and started laughing. I was honestly amazed that I had made it so far and knew that happiness would eventually come to an end. Despite the situation, it was warm outside, and I had slept on a park bench abroad before - I would survive. Luckily, there were resourceful people in our group who could communicate in the local language, and they managed to arrange a charter bus for us. We arrived in Vienna around 4:30 in the morning.
- Innsbruck, Austria, view from the base of the tower
- Innsbruck, Austria, view from the tower
A few days of rest later, I was back in Estonia, and to my pleasant surprise, Madis Perli from Lõuna-Postimees was willing to write a story about me and my adventure. There you can read/listen to more detailed information and also learn how I got into painting in the first place.
Foto: Madis Perli / Lõuna-Postimees
Read and listnen to it at Lõuna-Postimehes: https://lounapostimees.postimees.ee/7399786/filmi-argitatud-maalimiskirg-viis-tippmessile-austrias
Gallery from the trip to Austria: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ralfaello/albums/72157720126720617
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