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n terms of media, Hajek works across paper, canvas, wood, textiles, and collage, allowing each material to shape the rhythm and character of the image. “Ideas and materials are inseparable in my work,” he explains. “On paper, I work fast and intuitively; on wood, I explore texture; with collage, the approach becomes more graphic. Each surface suggests its own rhythm and guides my use of colour, so the material itself shapes the way the piece feels and moves.”

His imagery draws from a vast internal archive of what he describes as “mental images”: fragments collected through travel, research, observation, and everyday life. References to African traditions, Indian temple art, South American folklore and pop culture compose his vocabulary and are transformed into a personal visual language rich in atmosphere and meaning. Hajek conceives his images as small stages, where ornament, recurring motifs and symbolic figures each play a role. Patterns and symbols establish rhythm, while theatrical staging builds atmosphere and presence, suggesting stories without fully defining them.

While Berlin remains a central base for his work, Olaf lives between Germany and Mallorca, a rhythm that has become essential to his creative process. Moving between cultures and visual environments allows him to absorb and transform diverse influences, shaping what he describes as a universal visual language: one that can be understood across geographies. 

Hajek has an upcoming exhibition at Kaplan Projects in Mallorca that will present a new body of work focussed on painting. We spoke with him about the ideas behind the show and his fascinating process:

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C.F.: Your imagery draws from African traditions, Indian temple art, South American folklore, and pop culture. You’ve spoken about “collecting mental images”: what does that archive look like and how does it resurface in your work?

O.H.: My “mental archive” is really just a collection of images, stories, and textures that I carry with me from everywhere I’ve been and everything I’ve seen. African patterns, Indian temple carvings, South American folklore, pop culture – they’re all stored in my mind like a constantly shifting collage. I don’t consciously plan to use them; they resurface intuitively in my work, often in surprising ways. Sometimes it’s a color palette, sometimes a gesture, a motif, or a mood. This archive lets me create a world that feels familiar and strange at the same time, connecting different cultures and histories through a personal visual language. 

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C.F.: You work with a wide range of publications, brands, and institutions. What makes a collaboration interesting for you, and when do you feel it truly works? Do collaborations push you toward new materials or formats you might not explore otherwise?

O.H.: A collaboration becomes truly interesting for me when there’s a shared curiosity and a space for experimentation. I’m drawn to projects where the partner is open to risk and play, and where my visual language can meet theirs in unexpected ways. Collaborations often push me to try materials, formats, or techniques I wouldn’t normally explore on my own – whether it’s a new printing method, a large-scale installation, or working across different media. For me, the best collaborations are those that expand my practice without diluting my personal vision, creating something neither side could have made alone.