Itinerario 13 2020

Editor: Pavlo Makov's "Itinerario 13," created in 2020 using mixed media, graphic art, print and monoprint techniques, presents this swirling, almost clock-like arrangement of building-like forms. I find its starkness unsettling and orderly at the same time. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The unsettling order you perceive is quite insightful. This work resonates with themes explored in urban planning and societal structures. Makov is known to address post-Soviet architectural landscapes and the human condition within those spaces. Considering this, how does the 'itinerary' concept play into your interpretation of urban life? Editor: I see it as potentially representing the predetermined paths or journeys that individuals take within the city, maybe with a sense of repetition or lack of agency. It's like they are all just circling this central void. Curator: Precisely. The geometric arrangement and repetition hint at the systemic control exerted by urban design and its relationship to the populace. Do you find any connections to other artists exploring similar urban critiques or architectural concerns? Editor: I'm thinking of Piranesi's etchings of imagined prisons, though Makov feels less overtly dystopian and more like a muted commentary on modern urban existence. Curator: A fitting parallel! The political charge often lies in its understated approach. So what is your takeaway from seeing it in this context? Editor: It reinforces how artists can use abstract forms to reflect and critique the forces shaping our everyday experiences in cities, both visibly and invisibly. Curator: Exactly. By recognizing these elements, we can see how artworks engage in larger socio-political dialogues about space and society.