Meet Olaf Hajek | Illustrator, Artist and Painter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Olaf Hajek and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Olaf, how do you think about risk?
I started as an Illustrator more then 30 years ago in Germany, a time before social media. I was dreaming to get my work on the American market. I admired the artistic aproach of the American Illustrators at that time. I was sending copies of my work via normal post mail. I had to fly to the USA to meet ARTDirectors to show my work in a portfolio. I never knew whether the trip and the financial outlay would be worth it, but I took the risk and was rewarded. As a self-employed artist, I constantly have to take risks. After years of a successful career, I decided to dedicate myself to fine art and had to take risks again.
The creative path is always a path of risk. You put so much of yourself into it and you never know whether you will be understood and, in the best case scenario, whether you will be successful.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
In my work I combine a diverse range of influences including folklore, mythology, religion, history, and geography. My paintings transport us to a world of surreal juxtaposition and rearranged realities to explore a realm that is always strangely off kilter. More than anything else his work explores the opposition between imagination and reality in the context of western cultures.

As an illustrator sitting alone in his Berlin studio, I am very proud to work with clients all over the world.
I think my style has an international language that is understood worldwide. That’s why I’m proud to work for such different customers around the world. Be it the Christmas windows for Printemps in Paris, the beginning sequel of a Brazilian telenovela, watches for Swatch or gallery shows in Cape Town, Buenos Aires or Paris

I trusted my intuition and my own aesthetic. I was lucky enough to always be successful in my work without being influenced by fashion trends. I have remained true to my taste and have always been able to implement this in professional collaboration with customers

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Berlin is a city of contrasts and that is exactly what makes the city so exciting. I would take a tour of the city’s big galleries and then take a break in one of the numerous coffee shops.
Berlin is like a journey through different places.
From the Turkish bazaar to the Vietnamese market in the park to the hipster district.
Art and culture and nightlife, that’s Berlin…there’s a lot to do…let’s tackle it

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate my shoutout to all artists who doubt their creative journey. Never give up. Risk and doubt are the driving force behind creating true art

Website: https://www.olafhajek.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olafhajek/