Katja Sevšek’s landscapes and floral still lifes could be described as reflections of earthly reality within the realm of the beyond. Her work appears to focus more on the depiction of ideas rather than physical matter, especially given the presence of gold leaf—real gold leaf—on nearly every painted surface. Through this, the artist creates delicate textures, as if gold were the only tangible substance, yet even this element carries a transcendent, almost sacred symbolism. Gold has long been a symbol of spirituality and transcendence; in fact, Orthodox icons are often either adorned with gold or feature gold backgrounds, both of which symbolize the divine realm of the celestial.

In Katja Sevšek’s vertically oriented paintings, we often find double supports, giving the impression of diptychs, even though they are not in the traditional sense. The central vertical gap between the canvases does not divide the space but rather introduces symmetry—though without mirroring the left and right halves. Only in one instance do we encounter a triptych.

The most frequent visual motif is undoubtedly the tree, depicted in various forms and dimensions. Here too, we can recognize its ancient symbolism as a bridge between Earth and the Celestial. Particularly intriguing in this context is the anthropomorphic representation of a white tree, whose roots and trunk take the shape of a naked woman, surrounded by blood-red soil. Its canopy, with translucent white branches, is adorned with a variety of leaves on the left side, while the right half is predominantly golden yellow, resembling the flowing hair of a mystical, dual-natured woman. This composition may also evoke a reminiscence of Ovid’s tale of Apollo and Daphne, who transforms into a laurel tree—though the present tree does not directly reference that specific form.

Another intriguing visual element is a fantastical, centrifugally branched flower that simultaneously introduces a non-Euclidean, circular space, once again evoking transcendent symbolism. In terms of color, it is worth noting that, aside from gold and golden-yellow shades along with white, the dominant tones are subdued shades of gray, with occasional blue and turquoise-green accents. A true rarity is the previously mentioned red earth pigment. Earthy brown tones can also be found, as well as melanotonic shades of black or gray soil. Additionally, the use of applied decorative elements, such as leaves or flowers, should be highlighted.

The depictions of landscapes, trees, and flowers transcend the familiar, offering something entirely new, and unfolding as visual meditations of the ethereal through the lens of the tangible. Her art drifts between worlds, capturing the whisper of the beyond as it transcends conventional interpretations, without surrendering to philosophical abstraction or religious symbolism, and establishing a truly original and thought-provoking aesthetic.

Mario B. Codella,
February 2025