Painting by Olena Koliesnik

Any run, like life itself, has its end. For those who have experienced war, the question “what are you running from?” ultimately rests on the most obvious limit — escape from physical death and oblivion. This is the fear of not having time to leave something behind, when everything around is collapsing and you could be next. The hero’s circle finally loses its clear boundaries, the waters of chaos and reality roll over it. If the first work was an escape from the inner, then this last one is an escape from the final end. This picture captures the final point: the run ends where I find myself in inevitability. Life goes precisely to end, the absurdity of escaping from the end. “From Oblivion” is a work from the “Escape” section of the “Solomon’s Paradox” series. “Solomon’s Paradox” is 18 works created at the intersection of psychology, research into survival instincts, and my personal experience of emigration. The series emerged from revelations people shared with me on Instagram and explores the moments when a person’s inner reactions determine their choices. Spain, 2024