Illustration to the collection of poems by M. Bazhan 'Legacy' 1978

This illustration for Mykola Bazhan’s poetry collection 'Legacy' by Hryhorii Havrylenko is a powerful piece of graphic art. Its stark palette of black, blue, and red creates a striking visual impact, and I can just imagine the artist carefully planning each layer of color. The silhouettes of figures, some armed, some faceless, evoke a sense of unease, while the red spots overhead might be interpreted as the echoes of forgotten voices. It makes me wonder what Havrylenko was thinking about when he made it. Was he considering the weight of history, the burden of remembrance, or maybe the role of the individual within a collective? I am reminded of the bold graphic style of artists like Alexander Deineka and the haunting imagery of Käthe Kollwitz. Like those artists, Havrylenko uses strong visual language to express complex themes. This is a testament to how artists engage in conversations across time, each inspiring and building upon the work of those who came before.