Painting by Olena Koliesnik

We often know what we are running away from. But where is this high-speed flow actually taking us? This work is the first point of the section “Escape” — the “Run” reaction in my series “Solomon’s Paradox”. For me, escape has become not only a physical movement from external danger, but an attempt to avoid meeting with the one who remains next to him until the last — with himself. The hero moves here from the previous section “Attack”. He no longer looks back — in front of him is only his motionless shadow, which accompanies him even in movement. This is a moment of realization: it is impossible to escape from oneself. The background of the work is covered with cracks and fractures. They arise between internal dilemmas and external shocks — between what is collapsing inside a person and what is happening around him. I worked on ARCHES Hot Pressed (Satin) paper, wetting it on both sides. This process allowed the pigment to lose control of its own boundaries, to spread and create an image of a world that no longer holds its shape. The hand-torn edge of the work leaves a physical trace of haste - a gesture of movement, loss of control and attempt. This work opens the section "Escape" (the "Run" reaction) of the series "Solomon's Paradox". "Solomon's Paradox" is 18 works created at the intersection of psychology, research into survival instincts and my personal experience of emigration. The series grew out of revelations people shared with me on Instagram and explores the moments when a person's internal reactions determine their choices. Spain, 2024