Untitled. Srawberry Andreevna 2015

This note was made by Alevtyna Kakhidze, likely during or after the period it describes. The materials are utterly simple: a scrap of paper, trimmed somewhat haphazardly, and writing in ballpoint pen. The image is almost anti-monumental. The writing appears to be in Russian, and translates to something like, “Light, water, there was no Keta (likely referring to salmon). In general, from August 18 to September 21 (with a few exceptions of a few days).”. Its aesthetic impact is directly linked to its modest, almost throwaway mode of production. The combination of the personal handwriting and the prosaic content suggests a diaristic impulse, a basic record of daily life. The work’s value comes from the information it contains. The artist elevates the mundane to the level of art. Ultimately, this piece reminds us that any material can be a conduit for meaning and that the value of art resides in the intention and context surrounding its creation.