Josef Bolf
Screenprint no. 28
36.500 CZK
About the artwork
Pasta Oner
Reach for Happiness
2026
Print
Screen print on metallic paper
Framed in a black artist's frame with anti-reflective glass
68 × 48 cm
Series: 35 pieces
In stock
The artwork Reach for Happiness showcases the characteristic signature style of Pasta Oner, one of the most prominent figures on the contemporary Czech pop art scene. In his work, the artist has long combined the aesthetics of pop art, street art, and comic book visuals, utilizing the language of mass culture to reflect on contemporary society, its desires, illusions, and values.
At first glance, the composition appears playful and optimistic. The vibrant coloring, stylized female figure, and butterfly motif create a visually compelling image that references the aesthetics of advertising posters and popular culture from the second half of the 20th century. The dominant inscription “Reach for Happiness” functions as a slogan lifted from the world of marketing and consumerist promises. However, Pasta Oner does not present this appeal unconditionally—on the contrary, he places it within a context that invites reflection on whether happiness is truly an attainable goal, or rather an endless projection of our desires and societal expectations.
The butterfly, a traditional symbol of transformation, freedom, and ephemerality, takes on a multi-layered meaning here. It appears in various forms and scales, as if oscillating between a dream, a memory, and an advertising icon. Combined with the female figure, it creates an image of the desire for an ideal of beauty, happiness, and fulfillment—one that is simultaneously fascinating and elusive.
The silkscreen technique on metallic paper lends the artwork a specific material quality. The metallic background enhances the contrast between the flat graphic stylization and the shifting light, giving the image dynamism and altering its character depending on the viewer’s angle of perspective. This effect also reinforces the theme of the allure and glamour of contemporary visual culture, which Pasta Oner frequently explores and comments on.
About author
Pasta Oner (*1979) emerged from the strong generation of writers of the nineties and is one of the most significant artists associated with the Czech graffiti scene. From the street environment, he gradually moved to studio work, in which he draws long-term inspiration from pop art, street art and cartoon aesthetics, as well as from specific works of old masters, which he enjoys combining with these modern movements. His works are represented in the collections of Museum Kampa and COLLETT Prague, Munich.
