IV Tallinn Graphics Triennial 1977

Oleksandr Aksinin made this print, IV Tallinn Graphics Triennial, in 1977 with what looks like etching or engraving. The marks are so intricate, it makes me think about how the process becomes the form. The whole piece is made up of tiny, precise lines, almost like he's building a little world, one mark at a time. The texture is incredible, you can almost feel the ink raised on the paper. The way the light and shadow play across those tiny lines creates a depth that pulls you in. Look at the way he uses hatching to create the illusion of form. Each line is carefully placed, building up the image gradually. It’s this back-and-forth, push-and-pull process that gives the work its energy. It reminds me a bit of Piranesi, with its fantastical architecture and obsessive detail. But Aksinin brings his own unique sensibility to the work, a sense of wonder and curiosity. In the end, it’s the ambiguity that makes it so compelling. It’s a reminder that art is not about finding easy answers, but about embracing the questions and possibilities.