They

In the series of three paintings titled They, I responded to adverse phenomena in politics, including hoaxes, lies, misinformation, nationalism, right-wing extremism, and the connections between certain politicians and organised crime networks. I worked with symbols and embedded both overt and hidden meanings within the pieces (the glossy finish of the figures points to populism, which, in connection with the material – wood – symbolises stylised conservatism; fading microphones point to the suppression of media freedom; the podium resembles a sword…). A black sphere with tentacles references the omnipresence and resilience of mafia structures. Finally, the Nazi-saluting Pinocchio embodies a contemporary politician originating from the far-right environment, whose public image is built on a crusade for justice, though in reality, he is fascinated by regimes that suppress basic human rights and freedoms and uses lies as a working method.