Samson. From the Heroic babies series 1989

Vasiliy Ryabchenko’s "Samson" is a mixed media work on canvas, part of the "Heroic Babies" series, and it’s a real trip. The color palette is dark and brooding, punctuated by these pale, almost ghostly figures and shapes. It’s like Ryabchenko is letting the process itself guide the image, embracing the unexpected. The surface is layered with different textures and materials, bits of collage mingling with expressive drawing. There’s a tension between the flatness of the collaged elements and the illusionistic space created by the drawing and washes of color. I’m drawn to the way the baby's form is rendered with such delicate, almost tentative lines, contrasting with the boldness of the dark green background. It’s as if he's capturing a fleeting moment, a fragile presence emerging from the shadows. This piece reminds me of Neo Rauch. Both artists share this interest in juxtaposing disparate elements to create ambiguous, dreamlike narratives. Just as in art, life embraces ambiguity.