Hope

Winter, February 2020. The world ground to a halt. News of the pandemic instantly turned into a reality that isolated us from everything we knew. I spent that time locked in my studio in the heart of the Krkonoše mountains, in the picturesque village of Horní Štěpanice. Around me were only deep forests, silence, and snow. That loneliness and forced separation left a deep mark on my heart back then.

But it was there, in that isolation, that this painting was born. I wanted to defy the anxiety reigning outside. Do you see that deep, rich ultramarine blue of the night? For me, that color embodies the infinite peace and depth of that mountain solitude. But look closely! On that frozen ground, beneath the bright crescent moon and hundreds of stars, walk three cats. They are fragile, composed of vibrant Tangram pieces, yet they literally glow. Each carries an inner light stronger than the entire dark night surrounding them.

This painting is not named Hope by accident. To me, it is proof that even when we are physically confined, our imagination and dreams remain free. These cats are a symbol of our ability to find joy even in uncertain times. They are a reminder that the inner light we carry within us never goes out and will always lead us out of the darkness.