Elefants (part II) 1991

Oleg Holosiy, who tragically died young, painted "Elefants (part II)" using sweeping brushstrokes of blue, green, and earthy tones, punctuated by the stark monochrome of the elephants themselves. You can almost see the artist at work, right? Layering paint, scraping back, building up the image bit by bit. I can imagine Holosiy wrestling with the canvas, trying to capture the essence of these creatures and the landscape they inhabit. Look at those dark strokes, slashing across the top left corner – they’re so loaded with energy, so decisive. Then there's the watery washes, bleeding into each other, creating this dreamy, almost apocalyptic atmosphere. The elephants are a bit like ghosts. It makes me think of Goya, and of course, other Ukrainian painters. It's like Holosiy is speaking to them across time. It's a reminder that we're all part of this ongoing conversation, drawing inspiration from those who came before us, trying to make sense of the world in our own way.