ʼIt is the strong, the brave, and the wise who find moments of happiness—not because they escape the turbulence, but because they possess the resilience to navigate it. This series of works explores the delicate balance between the instability of the world and the inner strength that allows us to endure, adapt, and, ultimately, find joyʼ - Olga Karika about Hunted Hunters series.
The animals featured in these pieces serve as metaphors for human qualities—their quiet strength, instinctual wisdom, and ability to thrive in environments full of unpredictability echo our own journey. Despite the challenges they face, these creatures remain steadfast, reflecting our own capacity to endure, survive, and even find joy amidst the chaos. Whether a horse, a bird, or a dog, they represent the qualities we strive to embody: strength, courage, or intelligence. These animals do not cower in the face of life's arrows; they hold their ground, adapt, and continue to support the natural flow of life. They remind us that while the world may be unstable, within us, we have the power to face its challenges head-on.”
The technique mirrors this theme of illusion and fragility. The works are composed of monochrome canvases, where only one color, or a blend of that color and black, dominates. The true essence of these pieces, however, lies in their transparency. The backgrounds are abstract, built layer by layer with splashes and gestural techniques, allowing a delicate complexity to emerge before the paint fully dries. This creates a sense of fluidity and movement beneath the surface. The images themselves are formed using similarly transparent paint, with textures that evoke a sense of lightness and impermanence—qualities that reflect our own fragile existence.
In contrast, neon arrows cut through these delicate compositions. Their bold, sharp brightness, rendered in vibrant acrylic, serves as a jarring element for the viewer’s eye. The intention here was to marry the seemingly incompatible: the soft, Renaissance-like sketch aesthetics of *imprematura*, and the garish, glaring neon of modernity. These arrows become symbols of disruption, an irritation that forces us to confront the tension between old-world beauty and the sharp-edged reality of today, much like the tension between our perceived security and the lurking.
This series is a powerful metaphor for the seemingly nonchalant rhythm of our lives. We are constantly in motion—striving, chasing ambitions, hunting down goals. Yet, amidst this relentless pursuit, we remain blissfully unaware of the countless dangers we narrowly avoid. We believe that because nothing harmful has befallen us, we are immune, exceptional even, as if fate has granted us permanent immunity from chaos. But this sense of safety is nothing more than an illusion, a fragile perception of imagined stability.
At the heart of this series, Olga explores the idea of unpredictability—represented by sharp, sudden neon arrows that cut through each piece. These arrows symbolize the vibrant and fast nature of life. They are bright, jarring disruptions in the otherwise fluid and organic compositions, serving as metaphors for the obstacles and uncertainties that confront us daily. Yet, within this unpredictable landscape, there is a sense of balance and groundedness.
