Daphne 1989

Vasiliy Ryabchenko made this painting, Daphne, at some point in his career, though we don't know exactly when. It's a good reminder that artmaking is a process of discovery, of allowing the image to emerge through layers of marks and gestures. Ryabchenko's use of orange and white is so striking. The texture of the paint varies across the canvas, creating a dynamic surface, like a map of the artist's movements and decisions. Look at how the orange is applied thinly in some areas, while in others it's built up into thick, almost sculptural forms. Then there’s those bold, dark lines, that seem to describe the figure, but also fight against it, pulling us back to the surface of the painting. This push and pull between representation and abstraction is what makes the work so compelling. Daphne could be a reference to artists like de Kooning, who also blurred the lines between figure and ground. It’s all about the conversation between artists across time, each building upon the ideas and techniques of those who came before.