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 lectern 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.