Tender Beast

"Tender Beast" is an epic story describing the rise and fall of a fictitious human-like species, both so different and yet so similar to us, in an effort to find the innocence in human nature that once existed. It’s a nostalgic view of a good old era, "the childhood of mankind," when humans used tails for balance and dinosaurs were so cute you could ride one. Nowadays, the enchanting voice of Nature is nearly inaudible within the big, glorious brains of Homo sapiens.
Playfully and ironically, this story juggles the fundamental concepts of life and death, evolution, survival, connection to nature, high powers, and the meaning of being. A super-fresh concept and over 50 original hand-made illustrations turn "Tender Beast" into a one-of-a-kind piece of art.
The “Tender Beast” book is the essence of Oleg Babich’s artistic universe. In 2023, in his solo show at The Lab art space, he took it even further and built a complex installation that included sculptures, charcoal murals, and oil-painted wooden cutouts—all based on the book concept.