Korsun 1957

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this drawing, Korsun, with ink, and I’m guessing, a reed pen. The scratchy lines are built up and layered, just like a painter builds up layers of oil paint to arrive at an image. I love the way the textures are rendered, the scribble of reeds and bushes. But, for me, the real star is the big bare tree on the right. I’m interested in how Havrylenko renders the darks with thicker, confident lines to give volume to the trunk. Then, how this contrasts with the thin, scratchy and nervous lines suggesting the branches, like a complex network reaching upwards. I find myself thinking about Egon Schiele and his drawings of trees. Both artists share a common interest in nature, but use it to express feelings of isolation and melancholy. Both works remind us that art isn't about capturing reality, but about creating different ways of experiencing the world.