Bal Harbour

P H OTO BY A N T H O N Y P E R E Z ( A R T I S T P O R T R A I T A N D WA L L PA P E R) ; C O U R T E S Y O F D I P T YQ U E here is an old proverb that says Tell me the facts and I'll learn. Tell me the truth and I'll believe. Tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever. Essentially, that is a poetic way of encapsulating what artists—storytellers of a different stripe—do. It is certainly what German-born artist Olaf Hajek strives for in his work, which depicts magical realist scenes drawn from folk art, African and South American art, Indian miniature painting, and vernacular craftsmanship. "What connects these influences, for me," he says, "is the power of simplicity and the imperfection of beauty." Even though Hajek's compositions are densely packed agglomerations of fantastical flora and fauna, all of it limned in a richly saturated palette, the elements themselves are rendered simply enough that they are eminently accessible. Characters seem to embody something primal and mystical, but also something enchanted. Hajek's collectors certainly appreciate this. But so do Hermès, Diptyque, Fortnum & Mason, Meissen, and Swatch; these and many other clients commission the artist to help them relate the stories of their brands in a way that leaves indelible impressions on our imagination. Most recently, Hajek has collaborated with Christopher Farr Cloth on a line of vibrant wallpapers, which he is now expanding into textile designs. Hajek is also preparing for an art show at Kaplan Projects in Palma, Spain, opening this month. The artist has designed holiday windows for Hermès stores throughout Germany and in Vienna and Prague. "Store windows allow my paintings to expand into three-dimensional space," he says. "I have always been fascinated by antique paper theatres and traditional stage sets." Hajek created an artist's edition of five vases for the venerable porcelain house Meissen. He conjured "wishing tree" illustrations that enveloped The Lucky Charms scented candle collection by Diptyque. There's also the book cover for bestselling author TaraShea Nesbit's novel "Beheld," and illustrations for the New York Times Book Review. The artist maintains that his approach "really only works with brands that already possess a strong narrative of their own. I don't create an entirely new world for them; I expand one that already exists. The best collaborations become a T The Berlin-based artist believes that the best collaborations become a dialogue. Most recently these include vibrant wallpaper with Christopher Farr Cloth, and illustrations for Diptyque's Lucky Charms candle collection, shown below. dialogue. Everything I experience becomes part of it. I collect atmospheres rather than images. When I paint, these fragments come together intuitively to create something new." This is not, he admits, a novel idea. But the way it expresses itself is completely consistent with the arc of this artist's life. "My hope is that we continue to value individuality over uniformity," he says, "craftsmanship over mass production, and the human hand behind every work of art. For me, that is where beauty truly begins." the storyteller Olaf Hajek's mesmerizing art adapts to everything, from magazine illustrations to products by the world's leading luxury brands. BY JORGE S. ARANGO 220 220 BALHAR B O U RSH O P S .CO M

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