Untitled 1944

This untitled cartoon by the Kukryniksy collective, made with ink and gouache, uses a simple palette of tones and washes to make a powerful statement. The approach to drawing is super direct: the lines are clear, and the forms are flat. It’s all about the message, you know? The physical properties of the image, its flatness and use of thin colour washes, give it a cartoonish quality. The surface is smooth, like it was made quickly. See how the swastika on the figure’s belt buckle is crudely rendered? That bluntness adds to the emotional punch. It’s a raw, unvarnished depiction. The Kukryniksy have this in common with artists like Philip Guston, who embraced a deliberately clumsy style to convey a more immediate truth. It’s like they’re saying, “This is ugly, but it’s real.” Art becomes a way to speak truth to power, no matter how messy it gets.