Artist Natalia Mirzoyan captures Estonia through a newcomer's eyes in exhibition

Natalia Mirzoyan, an animator and artist known for directing the acclaimed short film 'Winter in March,' has opened a solo exhibition reflecting on her experience of settling in Estonia. The exhibition, titled 'Observations from Estonia,' opened Thursday at Nõmme House in Nõmme, the Tallinn district where Mirzoyan lives and works.

Born in Yerevan, Mirzoyan studied sociology, painting, and animation, earning a master's degree from the Estonian Academy of Arts. She left Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and moved to Estonia, where she has continued her creative work.

The new exhibition features paintings and drawings inspired by her new surroundings, from Nõmme streets and Tallinn's urban landscape to Estonia's changing seasons and little everyday moments. Mirzoyan's work combines the storytelling of animation with the immediacy of painting, offering a newcomer's perspective on familiar scenes.

Her animated short 'Winter in March,' made using fabric manipulation and stop-motion techniques, was selected for the La Cinef competition at the Cannes Film Festival last year. It has since screened at major animation festivals, won several awards, and made the shortlist for the European Film Awards.

'Observations from Estonia' will remain on view at Nõmme House through the end of September.