Empathy of Touch (2023) Original Oil Painting by Oleg Kateryniuk

№Kat 46
Oil on canvas artwork “Empathy of Touch” presents a surreal figurative composition featuring two mirrored portraits of a young man placed within a calm blue landscape. Behind the figures rises a row of pineapple shapes that resemble trees, creating an unusual horizon between land and sky. A classical sculpture head appears in the center between the two portraits, while hummingbirds fly across the sky above a distant moon and reflective water. The balanced composition and cool tones give the scene a dreamlike atmosphere where portrait, nature and symbolism merge.

The inspiration behind this work explores the idea of empathy and the subtle connection between inner states of the same person. The two portraits suggest reflection, duality and emotional dialogue, as if two sides of identity observe each other in silence. The hummingbirds, moon and distant water introduce a sense of lightness and movement, while the sculpture head symbolizes memory, culture and the quiet presence of human thought.

The artwork was created using oil on canvas, allowing careful modeling of the portrait and smooth transitions of color across the sky and water. Layered brushwork captures delicate light in the landscape and the soft texture of the pineapple trees. By combining portrait, nature and symbolic imagery, the composition invites the viewer to contemplate empathy, perception and the invisible connections between human experience.

Materials used:

oil

Details:

• Oil painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 114.99 x 49.99 x 2.03cm (unframed) / 114.99 x 49.99cm (actual image size)
• Signed on the front
• Style: Urban and Pop
• Subject: People and portraits

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