Apex Prey, 36"x48" Original Abstract Expressionism Painting by Sarah Henry

What happens when prey takes control? Apex Prey is irony, color, and symbolism all in one bold canvas created by emerging artist, Sarah Henry. This 36"x48" abstract expressionism painting uses mixed media on a stretched cotton canvas with a 7/8" profile. 

It comes ready to hang with a Certificate of Authenticity, a signature on the front, and a signature, date, and title on the back. 

Inspiration of the artist's expression

Apex Prey turns natural order upside down with bold irony and playful surrealism. This imaginative piece challenges the viewer’s instinctive assumptions about power and vulnerability.

At first glance, the zebra dominates the canvas - majestic, commanding, yet traditionally prey in the wild. To its side, a rabbit perches atop a tiger, reversing their expected roles. The tiger, an apex predator, shrinks in scale, subdued, and ironically ridden by a creature it would normally hunt. Adding to the irony, the tiger is missing many of its stripes - a playful twist on the phrase, “a tiger never changes its stripes,” suggesting that perhaps even the strongest are not fixed in their power or identity.

The composition plays with contrasts: bold black-and-white stripes against candy-colored skies, soft clouds floating over sharp lines, and circles of repetition echoing themes of control and chaos within the circle of life. The bright pink and blue backdrop adds a pop-art vibrancy while deepening the surreal narrative of dominance, fragility, and illusion.

This piece is a conversation starter about strength, perception, and how roles of power are often illusions. Perfect for collectors drawn to contemporary, thought-provoking, expressionist art that merges whimsy with meaning.