Elefants (part II) 1991

Oleg Holosiy made this work, Elefants (part II), using paint to explore process and form. The colour palette is muted, almost melancholic, and this infuses the whole painting with a sense of transience. What I find really fascinating about this piece is the tension between representation and abstraction. The central panel shows the elephants, rendered in a kind of sketchy, almost ghostly manner, while the surrounding areas dissolve into washes of colour and abstract marks. The way Holosiy applies the paint, sometimes thick and opaque, other times thin and translucent, creates a dynamic surface that invites exploration. The drips and splatters add an element of chance and spontaneity, reminding us that painting is as much about accident as it is about intention. There’s a real dialogue happening here, a conversation between different ways of seeing and experiencing the world. It reminds me of Gerhard Richter's blurred paintings, in that there is a similar interest in the interplay between clarity and ambiguity, representation and abstraction. Ultimately, this painting is a testament to the power of art to embrace multiple interpretations.