How were you there for yourself when no one else was? What tools did you use to get through your struggles and traumas? What held you together?
Liisa Addi sensed from a young age that she was different – with different goals and different problems. So she escaped into art to find her own safe world. A space untouched by society’s issues, filled with color, understanding characters, and protectors.
In Liisa’s childhood works, a dog-like figure often appeared, emerging during stressful periods. It transformed according to her needs: it could be large and intimidating, or determined and colorful. She kept this figure – and her drawings – hidden from the rest of the world, afraid of being shamed or humiliated because of her art. For a long time, it remained her own private secret.
After being diagnosed with autism and ADHD, she realized that this character had been her protective Alter Ego – someone who had kept her alive throughout her life. The world hasn’t always been kind to a neurodivergent artist, so one must find their own tools to survive in it.
After this discovery, Liisa Addi began painting her alter ego on a larger and larger scale. The first canvases were smaller but filled with grief, intense emotions, anger, and a sense of injustice. Even then, Liisa felt that those early works were still her secret, keeping them only on the walls of her home.
Over time, the shame and anger began to fade, and a desire emerged to take up more space: to give her alter ego more power and respect for the work it had done. So the canvases began to grow – not just in size, but in courage, love, and curiosity toward herself. So much of Liisa’s childhood had been kept hidden, buried under shame – and now it was finally seeing the light of day.
The alter ego grew in parallel with the “The Black Sheep” series: for the Black Sheep to feel safe, to create and to play, the protection of the alter ego was necessary. This gave birth to paintings that reflected a dream world – a calm, safe environment where one can grow and develop without destructive criticism from others.
Liisa Addi has increasingly turned her focus to her Estonian roots: to our unique nature, especially the bogs. These places seem to be full of magic, helping one escape harsh realities and offering inspiration.
Liisa has also found inspiration in the history of Estonian art, particularly through traditional tapestries. While minimalism and muted tones have dominated in recent decades, the late 19th century was full of visible color and patterns. In this way, Liisa pays tribute to our rich visual history, which continues to inspire her today.
She also wants to inspire others: even though our past may be full of pain and suffering, there is always more beauty, love, and color. In order to create and inspire others, we must focus our attention on what we want to see more of in the world.
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