Barbenheimer Land - Pop Art - People

This original painting was my entry to the Sulman Prize 2024 at the AGNSW.

The Barbenheimer, called ‘the movie event of the year’ by Variety, was the biggest cultural phenomenon and an unusual and unexpected rivalry between Oppenheimer and Barbie films, that were released on the same day on 21 July, 2023.
In my painting ‘Barbenheimer Land’, I have used a variety of symbols to visually describe my feelings and thoughts after watching both movies and to interpret the unfolding events that followed.
Some symbols and words have multiple connotations. Here are just some of them:
The central theme of ‘GROW’ serves as an anti-war message, advocating for the nurturing of life, progress and creativity rather than following the path, that leads to destruction, wars and chaos. Instead of the ‘destructive black pineapples,’ the artwork suggests the 'cultivation' of flowers, plants, gardens and orchards used as symbols of things we can Grow-Make-Create. A pineapple fruit is associated with wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture, while the Yin-Yang symbols depict a harmonious balance and equality.
Beach balls. A pair of them can be added to the Grow Things list. The ball on the left side of the painting is also a symbol of radioactivity.
There are a few meanings behind ‘A-men’ message. Firstly, Robert Oppenheimer was part of a group advocating for the development of the atomic bomb (A-bomb) over the more powerful hydrogen bomb (H-bomb). Secondly, the term ‘Amen’ itself means ‘So be it!’ or ‘Let it be so!’. Lastly, ‘Pineapple’ is known as ‘Ananas’ in many languages.
As for the Oscars, I remember settling down with a bag of popcorn in January 2024 to watch the unfolding drama online. The nomination process alone was a puzzle — how do you compare a fantasy-comedy-musical, an abstract painting of a utopian world, with a very realistic and historically accurate drama, a biopic based on a biography book and transcripts of the hearings? It’s like trying to align an abstract expressionist piece with a hyperrealistic painting. Eight nods for Barbie and thirteen for Oppenheimer. And when ‘Ken’ was announced as a potential winner, it was a real head-scratcher. OMG! Sure, Ryan was great, but what about Margot’s stellar performance and Greta’s brilliant work as a director? Where are their nominations?
On Oscar night, Barbie faced a resounding rejection. WTR! Welcome to reality, Barbie! Wake up, grow up and be more serious if you want to win Oscars. Yet, you have indeed made a huge wave and I applause you!
Acrylic paints, edges painted light blue. Signed on the front with a full signature: Olga Kolesnik.

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I am not an artist of one painting style. I like to experiment and explore the art landscape. This is probably definitely complicating my reputation as an artist in gallerists’ eyes, but attracts many different people who look for creative diversity, flexibility and fluidity within one artist. I do not want to die wondering how my art would look like if I were an abstract expressionist. I want to try it, do it, celebrate life as I see it and express myself in more ways than just one.

While always staying true to my favourite subjects such as floral still life, birds, female portraits and occasional landscapes, I utilize elements of a few styles to add interest and a contemporary twist to a painting to create something original and exciting.

In my figurative artworks, I often fill nearly realistic shapes with emotions of certain chosen colours. I also like the intuitiveness and freedom abstract art offers and adore both the pure forms , ‘a form filtered to its essentials’ (Matisse), and conciseness of minimalism and maximalism of colourful expressionist abstracts.

I began to draw and paint when I was a child and finished high school with a formal qualification and certificate allowing me to work as a Graphic Design artist. But it didn’t happen. I got my Master’s Degree in Engineering instead and then worked as an engineer & research scientist and in technical Sales & Marketing.

I have always been interested in art. When I picked up brushes for real, sometime after moving to Sydney, I felt like I never ceased to paint. It took me a few years, many workshops and classes with the best Australian artists to realize that it was time to go on my own journey.

I would call myself an Australian Colourist, an artist who prefers bold, vivid colours. I don’t see the world through dark tinted sunglasses. I would rather exaggerate a colour than imitate greyed muted colour and use the colour that works than the colour that’s ‘really there’. But the truth is I like all the colours to paint with, including the polar opposites, those on a bright Matisse’s palette and neutral pastel hues. I can use only neutral tones if they describe the theme and emotions of the painting better. I believe that our relationship with colours works both ways. They influence our feelings and, the other way around, our mood or personality dictates what colours we dislike, love or choose.

As “an explorer” I will continue to mix and shake popular painting styles in my never-ending and almost impossible quest to discover a new unknown style I can put my fingerprints on.