Sofia 1958

Yuriy Khymych made this watercolor, Sofia. It looks as though Khymych was standing outside on a wet day with his paper and paints, looking up at the domes and towers. I can imagine the artist, squinting slightly, trying to capture the mood of a damp day. You know, watercolours are tricky. They can be so light and washy, but here, he’s really pushed the medium. Look at the reflections in the puddles—those dark, wet marks really anchor the composition. And the trees! They're almost like calligraphy, these thin lines dancing in front of the solid architecture. It reminds me a little of what Cezanne was trying to do. Painters like Khymych are in conversation with each other across time. Each artwork offering a new way of seeing the world. In painting there's an element of uncertainty, and that’s where the magic happens, right? It is up to us to interpret and find our own meaning.