Angela Maasalu
The True Deceiver
11.09.2026 - 11.10.2026.

The exhibition draws its inspiration from Finnish writer and artist Tove Jansson’s lesser-known adult novel The True Deceiver (1982), a psychologically nuanced exploration of truth, deception, self-deception and trust. Set in a remote, snowbound village, the novel follows the increasingly entangled relationship between Anna Aemelin, an elderly children’s book illustrator, and Katri Kling, a sharp and enigmatic young woman who gradually enters Anna’s life, blurring the boundaries between genuine connection and manipulation.

Jansson’s “true deceiver” takes on a renewed resonance in a world increasingly shaped by misinformation, conflicting narratives and the circulation of distorted or incomplete versions of reality. Deception does not necessarily begin with deliberate malice. We can mislead others, but we can just as easily deceive ourselves, misunderstand situations, or become so immersed in a particular narrative that it becomes difficult to distinguish between what is true and what we have chosen to believe.

The idea also opens onto the notion of being asleep: turning a blind eye, remaining unaware of the social realities surrounding us, or retreating into a subconscious state where uncomfortable truths are easier to ignore. In this sense, the “true deceiver” need not be a malicious figure, but can also be someone who has become caught within their own assumptions. Small misunderstandings accumulate; narratives are repeated and amplified; echo chambers produce their own reverberations, until confusion itself begins to feel like truth.

Text: Elīna Drāke

Angela Maasalu (1990) is an Estonian painter based in London. Maasalu focuses her work on personal and intimate themes, exploring the contradictions of human experience – happiness and misfortune, the drama and comedy of life. She weaves autobiographical fragments with symbolic and poetic imagery, transforming personal experience into something universal. Maasalu’s works are characterized by rich metaphors, a fairy-tale quality, and hidden narratives.

Angela Maasalu studied painting and art history at University of Tartu (BA 2012), and painting at Estonian Academy of Arts (MA 2015), as well as at UAL Central Saint Martins in UK (2013–2014). In 2017., 2019., 2023. and 2024., Maasalu received the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s Visual and Applied Arts Annual Award for the installation-driven, cohesive solo exhibition “A Fool with a Heart of Glass” at Tartu Art House. Works by Angela Maasalu are included in the collection of the Art Museum of Estonia.

The artist’s latest solo exhibitions: “Taking Courage” at LUNGLEY Gallery and DES BAINS Gallery (2025) (London, United Kingdom); The Sound of Music” at Tütar gallery (2024) (Tallinn, Estonia); “Sleepwalkers” at Gene Gallery (2024) (Shanghai, China); “Happy house” at Rüki Gallery (2024) (Viljandi, Estonia) and “A Fool with a Heart of Glass” at Tartu Art House (2023) (Tartu, Estonia).

Supported by: State Culture Capital Foundation