In Pink Mirage, a solitary figure stands out against a surreal, pastel-pink forest. Wearing a smart brown suit and with his shoes in his hand, the man stands barefoot in a lake. The contrasting colours emphasise the gap between man and nature, while Sledsens’ use of colors and somewhat naïve painting style calls to mind Henri Rousseau (1844-1910), a painter of landscapes and jungle scenes. Sledsens is a great admirer of his work and employs a similar naïve to seduce his viewers. Here, nature could also be a haven, to escape from the rest of the world. [text 2025]