In the Depth

Artist statement:

This work is part of the Safari series, but here the safari shifts from the jungle into the depths of the ocean. The subject is a squid, magnified to monumental proportions, placed in dark marine abysses where the boundaries between the real and the imaginary blur. The squid is depicted in colorful, semi-transparent tones, as if its body were made of glass or a marine habitat – through which one can see its inner structure, textures, and light reflections making it almost holographic.

The piece is executed on an iron sheet, giving it a strong, industrial presence. The background is dominated by blue, but it is not uniform; from the upper left corner, a diagonal transition moves from darkness to light – from deep navy to lighter shades, as if rising from the ocean abyss into surface light. This gradient creates a sense of movement, depth, and uncertainty, as if the viewer is looking through water that slowly clears.

Because of the metal substrate, the background is further enriched with metallic shine – grinding has revealed reflective iron tones that shimmer under the angle of light. These reflections introduce a sense of vitality and dynamism, as if the ocean itself is moving and glowing while the squid floats in its silence.