“O2” is a wall painting more than seven metres high, created by Lex Zooz in Ülemiste City, which highlights the topic of forest protection and its importance in both the global and Estonian context. The work was created as part of the #IShareHerPower campaign and is inspired by the activities of environmental activist Wangari Maathai, who stood bravely for the protection of African forests at a time when such a struggle was only just beginning.

The artist treats nature as a living and fragile system whose balance is increasingly at risk. “I chose forest protection as the theme of my work because this topic is close to me, and it is also a problem that is relevant in Estonia,” explains Lex Zooz. “Studies have already shown that deforestation is not being controlled and that it may have serious climate consequences for our country.”

Visually, the work depicts a stylised forest landscape, where deep blue and green tones create a calm, yet at the same time thought-provoking atmosphere. Vertically rising tree trunks and glowing circular forms convey the vitality and fragility of nature, also referring to oxygen as an element that is the basis of life. The work creates a contrast between beauty and warning – it visually attracts the viewer, but at the same time carries a strong message about the need for environmental awareness.

The work relates more broadly to the goal of the campaign to highlight the impact of climate change and the role of female activists in raising awareness of and solving these problems. “Wangari Maathai stood up 50 years ago, when there were no conservation organisations, almost alone to protect the forests of Africa against global industrial and oil companies that destroyed the ecosystem of Kenya and all of Africa. I think that knowing the example of such a woman, people should feel a little ashamed of how inattentive we are towards nature, pretending that there are no problems. In the end, the danger is that you may lose something irreversibly without paying enough attention to any problem,” said artist Lex Zooz.

“O2” is not merely an aesthetic work of street art, but a clear statement. It invites the viewer to notice, think and take responsibility, reminding us that protecting nature is not an abstract idea, but an unavoidable need on which our shared future depends.