Untitled 2022

Curator: Alevtyna Kakhidze created this "Untitled" drawing in 2022. It appears to be made with ink on paper. What are your initial impressions? Editor: My first impression is that it’s a potent visual argument. The contrast of playful lettering against what I imagine is a very grave subject, gives the drawing a really unsettling tension. Curator: Absolutely. Considering the medium—ink on paper—and the style, which leans towards activist art and social realism, what do you think Kakhidze is trying to convey about production and perhaps the value of information? Editor: Well, visually, it feels like a raw, unfiltered thought process, even a plea. The recurring motifs – the house, tank, and distraught figure, clearly point to the war in Ukraine and evoke displacement and suffering. Notice how Kakhidze juxtaposes the cost of a Javelin missile with the potential reach and impact of truthful information shared through video. Curator: Indeed. It also seems she uses handwritten text, and the small lettering style is pretty common in the drawing and illustrations on paper for the media to easily read it. To me, that really gets at a tension between the high cost of military action and the relatively lower cost—at least financially—of disseminating information. Editor: Exactly! The almost childlike rendering of the tank and house amplifies the horror, I think. It simplifies the conflict down to its most basic, brutal equation, while those rough strokes communicate urgency, a call for immediate attention. And if you zoom in on the details of those hand-drawn letterforms, each seems to hold a world of grief within. Curator: A strong reading, which, in turn, reveals the importance of materiality within art to evoke social commentary. So, any final reflections on Kakhidze’s statement and her methods here? Editor: It serves as a reminder of art's power, especially in turbulent times, to challenge perceptions and stir action. Through symbolic economy, and accessible drawing, it questions the priorities of war by offering an intimate reflection on humanity amidst geopolitical struggle.