[Hidden Artworks] “The Phoenix & Eagle of Documentary”: When the bird takes flight

In 2015, I decided to paint on a larger canvas than usual—90x120 cm, the biggest piece I had created at the time. At first, it was difficult to adjust to the size since it was much larger than what I was used to, and at times, I felt a bit overwhelmed by the experience. It was also the first time I painted an abstract animal, inspired by a golden eagle like the ones seen in documentaries, especially in the moment when they soar upwards with power after a steep dive.

Note: This work is not open for sale to the general public, but if you are interested, you can contact me privately.

A Flight Between Reality and Imagination

However, as I progressed with the painting, the eagle began to take on a more symbolic presence. At times, it appeared as a fierce bird of prey, yet it also carried elements of a phoenix—a transformation that happened almost spontaneously during the process. That’s why the painting has a somewhat mythological essence, as if the creature depicted didn’t fully belong to the real world. The phoenix in the painting is both fiery and snowy, with an ethereal flame that doesn’t consume but illuminates, and a radiant whiteness that seems to emerge from a landscape of ice and pure air.

One of the things that made this piece special was that my father really liked it. He is an avid fan of documentaries, particularly those about nature and animals, and he felt a certain connection with the painting. Since childhood, I have also watched many of those documentaries with him, and I’ve always paid attention to eagles and their movements in the air. Perhaps, naturally, these images remained in my mind and ended up being reflected in the painting.

Flying Strokes

Visually, the painting conveys a sense of movement and energy. The cool tones, primarily blues and grays, create the impression of an icy sky—a space that surrounds the bird and enhances its presence. The brushstrokes suggest momentum and dynamism, as if the eagle were in the very moment of rising, gaining altitude with determination.

What’s interesting about the piece is that it doesn’t strictly depict an eagle in a literal sense but instead leaves room for interpretation. Within the strokes, the bird’s shape seems to shift, taking on different characteristics, as if at times it were more of a mythical creature than a real animal. That’s something that makes it special—a blend of the recognizable and the imagined. The phoenix has always held deep meaning for me; it represents the powerful idea of rising from the ashes, of resurrection, of returning even stronger. That narrative speaks to me—the resurgence, the feeling of not having said the last word, of having a second attempt, another opportunity... a radiant, blazing return, embodied in an artema being.

Final Reflection

Looking at this piece, I realize that beyond the final result, the process led me to explore new ways of representing movement and transformation. I didn’t set out to create a phoenix when I began, but the painting itself guided me toward that image—toward a being that embodies rebirth and contained strength.

Perhaps art works in a way similar to the flight of eagles: there is a moment when everything seems to plunge downward, but then comes the ascent, the reclaiming of air, the expansion of the wings. It’s a balance between the unexpected and the controlled, between what one plans and what simply happens. This painting, with its blend of reality and mythology, ultimately became a reflection of that movement.