Бегство в Египет 1987

Curator: Looking at this two-panel piece from 1987 titled "Flight into Egypt" by Vasiliy Ryabchenko, one immediately notices the raw energy contained within. What do you think? Editor: Raw indeed! My immediate impression is of fragmented figures struggling against a murky, almost ethereal landscape. The use of washed-out color adds to the sense of unrest. The angular geometry really seems at odds with the rounded figures and their implied movement. Curator: Precisely. Ryabchenko was part of the Odessa Nonconformist group. The backdrop you mention—these geometric forms juxtaposed against human struggles—was partly a protest. It questioned the Soviet idealism that prioritized collective effort over the plight of individuals, portraying their turmoil amidst rigid social structures. Editor: Interesting. Ignoring that context for a moment, consider just the figures. They're rendered with minimal detail; their gestures, though, suggest considerable force. Also, note the repetition of those shapes: the arcs echoed in the shepherd's crook, in the limbs, almost an incantation. Curator: Yes, and I find it fascinating how Ryabchenko subverts classical depictions of the Holy Family fleeing to Egypt. While it evokes that biblical narrative, he seems more concerned with universal themes of displacement and searching for refuge. He draws parallels with contemporary sociopolitical upheavals of the late Soviet era. Editor: Certainly the faces, or lack thereof, give it that feeling. No individual expression, only the sense of striving... I keep coming back to the materiality too. The paint application is loose and almost careless in places, but also deliberate in how those colors wash over the canvas. I want to focus more on how it *looks* and what it makes me *feel*, compared to what I am supposed to learn. Curator: Agreed, it transcends a simple reinterpretation of a biblical event. Ryabchenko’s masterful use of form and content compels us to reflect on how power dynamics and oppressive forces shape human existence. A real statement in its time. Editor: Well, beyond its societal critique, the formal interplay of color, form, and texture is compelling. This makes for an incredibly lasting visual experience, with social considerations playing a slightly lesser role in my immediate take, but the work is really great, anyway.