co-op joburg

Ongoing: starts 11 June

Olaf Hajek is currently one of the most internationally renowned and sought-after illustrators. His colourful work can be seen in publications including The New York Times and The Guardian, as well as on stamps for Great Britain’s Royal Mail. Drawing on the diverse influences of folklore, mythology, religion, history, and geography, Hajek’s paintings transport us to a world of surreal juxtaposition and rearranged realities to explore a realm that is always strangely off kilter.

Using his impressions of Africa as a departure point for this series of new works, Hajek combines a sense of wonder inspired by the continents natural beauty with a darker look at its social and political reality. The result is a body of work that whilst visually beguiling at first glance expresses a series of more complex concerns.

Working between the borders of reality and imagination, Hajek reshapes the rough with the smooth, creating dreamlike tableaux that are skillfully rendered in his signature use of color and technique. His work has been exhibited in London, Berlin, New York, Alanta, and Buenos Aires.

Hajek’s recently published monograph by Gestalten is also available for purchase from CO-OP.