Maria Szakats’s work HYDRA, from a detail of Italian High Renaissance painter Sebastiano del Piombo’s Portrait of a young Roman (1512–1513), brings a contemplative focus to the theme of vanity. Using mohair, Szakats reinterprets this historical image by incorporating a delicate flower as a symbol. This choice extends her investigation of vanity, presenting the viewer with an intimate yet distanced portrayal, as if observing from a hidden vantage. The flower conveys her exploration of sheltered observation points, “caves” that offer protection yet simultaneously expose vulnerabilities.

The soft mohair texture complements these themes, creating an ethereal quality that invites viewers into a protected space of retreat and introspection. This tactile medium allows Szakats to add emotional resonance to the subject, blurring the boundaries between viewer and observed, fostering a contemplative pause on the nature of beauty and self-perception. In the exhibition, these nuances tie into an examination of romantic ideals, societal pressures, and intimate complexity.