Mixed media by Julia Datchenko

This papercut is a metaphor for the human condition in times of trial. The beast personifies the pain and fatigue experienced by the world or by humans, while the birds and trees represent spiritual strength and the ability to be reborn. The beast is the embodiment of earthly power, pain, and inner struggle. Its bowed head expresses sadness, fatigue, but also submission to fate. The five paws are a sign of disturbed balance, an excess of power that is difficult to control; this can symbolize human suffering or times of trial. Sharp paws, like knives – danger, pain, wounds inflicted by life. But sharpness here also purifies – like a sword that cuts through darkness. Trees on the back – life that grows even from pain. It is a symbol of rebirth, the power of nature and spirit that sprouts through trials. The birds on and around the body represent souls, prayers, and hopes rising upward. They contrast the lightness and freedom of the beast's heaviness. Green is the color of spring, life, and renewal. In this work, it is not merely decorative but carries the profound meaning of hope that lives even in sorrow.