Olaf Hajek... A Harbinger of Design

This series will spotlight global innovators who are original, known, lesser known and some perchance even already highly regarded and respected within their areas of expertise.  The common thread is style and fashion; whether it takes its form in interiors, apparel, accessories, retail, photography or any of the related professions that surround fashion and style.

 

One cannot deny the visual and visceral reactions that are caused by seeing the work of this brilliant artist/illustrator.  What really attracted me to his work is this series of portraits or “Antoinettes” as they are so aptly named.  If you cannot comprehend this, then you must see the comparison to many portraits of Marie Antoinette and in general many 18^th century French women of a certain social station.

 

Mr. Hajek is totally 21^st century in his approach as well as having the unique ability to blend elements of Rousseau, American Folk Art, the Dutch masters, and classical 18^th century portraiture into one finished masterpiece!  For me there is this naïve quality all blended together which climaxes in his arresting body of work.

 

 

We, in the states, always believe we have the best of everything and that we are so enlightened and exposed and indeed to a certain extent we are, but when one comes across an artist of this caliber, we are reminded of what we lack on a cultural level.  We are also somewhat careless about the images we might see every day as is evidenced by the client list that Mr. Hajek includes on his resume; whether it be Macy’s or Montblanc, we have seen his work  before!

 

 

The slideshow is just an amusing way of being able to compare the work of Olaf Hajek to classical art of the 18^th century.  Please enjoy it and share it and know that now when you see his work, it will be very recognizable and familiar to you.

 

P.S. take note that the Height is definitely in the Hair and not in the Heels!!!