Sketches of a sitting model 1975

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this drawing, Sketches of a sitting model, with ink on paper. The work presents a model in a studio setting, depicted through sparse, tentative lines that capture the fleeting gestures and postures of the human form. Havrylenko was Ukrainian, living under Soviet rule. Art education in the USSR was tightly controlled by the state, with socialist realism being the only accepted artistic style. However, Ukrainian artists were sometimes permitted more artistic freedom. These sketches may reflect a tension between the official artistic doctrine and the artist’s own experimentation with form and representation. Note the contrast between the larger, fainter outline of the figure and the smaller, bolder sketches in the background. Does this suggest anything about the relationship between official and unofficial art? Understanding this work requires us to consider the socio-political conditions in which it was created. Research into Soviet art institutions and policies, as well as the cultural dynamics of Ukraine during this period, will deepen our appreciation of the work.