Tchi 2024 by Saša Ostoja: A Journey To Sustainability

Welcome to the unveiling of this year’s Tchi. Each year, Tchi, our shared energy, finds its expression in art, capturing our collective spirit and aspirations. This year, we are thrilled to showcase the work of the esteemed artist Saša Ostoja, known for his distinctively playful style featuring naïvely drawn animal-like characters navigating humorous, dangerous, or uncomfortable situations.

For this year’s installation, Saša Ostoja has crafted a short comic that speaks to the heart of our mission: channeling our energy towards building a more positive world. When approached by Tchai to create a piece for our office, Ostoja delved into the origins of the Feng Huang, the mythical Chinese Phoenix, which symbolizes the unity of all Tchai employees.

His exploration revealed that the Feng Huang comprises various animals. This discovery served as the foundation for his narrative, which urges companies like Tchai to further prioritize sustainability, inclusivity, and compassion.

In Ostoja’s story, the Feng Huang (representing Tchai) receives a call from Earth, pleading for companies to adopt more sustainable and inclusive practices as the planet suffers. In response, all the animals within the Fenghuang unite, alongside the Chinese Dragon representing Chinese New Year 2024, to raise awareness for Earth’s well-being.

To our delight, the call is heeded, and the Earth becomes a bit more livable once again. The tale imparts a simple yet profound message: we must all treat the Earth with greater kindness and sustainability.

As you explore this year’s installation, may it inspire reflection and action, reminding us of our collective responsibility to nurture and protect our precious planet.

Over the years, Saša has crafted a unique style that incorporates humorous, dangerous, and uncomfortable situations intertwined with current affairs. Often with unexpected dark undertones. He works with different media: from ink and ecoline on paper to acrylic on walls, and from 3D sculptures to his digital pen. Look carefully into his work and find new interesting aspects every time. 

Among the collaborators and initiatives, Saša has engaged with a diverse range of esteemed brands and projects, including the Municipality of Amsterdam, the Volkskrant, Harry’s, Innocent, the Van Gogh Museum, Paradiso, VICE, WeTransfer, Nike, Volkshotel, Le Monde, Zeit Wissen, Uniqlo, Converse, and last but not least KLABU. 

Saša (1983) was born in Utrecht, The Netherlands and graduated from the HKU, Fine Art. He lives and works in Amsterdam.

We live in a time of constant and accelerating change. Traditional business models are not designed for this environment. When we were looking for a new way to organize ourselves, we skipped the management books. We rather turned inward, to connect with our Tchi. Let us explain:

“Tchai has its roots in China, where Chi is a fundamental concept in Chinese philosophical tradition: the life force. A vital energy that is part of all that exists.

Tchi is the sum of Tchai and Chi: when the people of Tchai all apply this energy to their work, a common goal is formed and the real potential is unleashed. With this energy flowing, we create genuine connections between brands and people”. How Tchi is experienced is different for everyone, which is why we welcome all interpretations.

We’ve teamed up with other creative minds who will take turns in giving our Tchi form. These representations are given a prominent role on our website, as well as in many other ways in and around our organisation.

Meet us here from time to time and see how our Tchi transforms and grows.