Untitled. Srawberry Andreevna 2017

Curator: Well, isn't this just charming in a slightly unsettling way? Editor: Exactly. Alevtyna Kakhidze created this pen drawing in 2017; she calls it "Untitled. Strawberry Andreevna." Curator: Strawberry Andreevna... it has the ring of a tragic, misunderstood fairytale character. And those cheeks! Such a vibrant, almost feverish red. What do you make of the, let’s say, unconventional rendering of the face? Editor: The intentionally crude, childlike quality challenges our notions of portraiture, doesn't it? The simplified lines, the flattened perspective... it almost mocks the formal portrait tradition. Curator: It definitely throws the pomp and circumstance out the window! More like scribbles from a dream. And the hands at the bottom... Is that a signature or part of the artwork? Editor: That's the million-dollar question! It’s a flourish, ambiguous at best. Which reflects Kakhidze's engagement with daily socio-political realities that impact Ukrainian life, sometimes making very direct commentaries, and other times, letting the imagery speak on its own. Curator: "Speak" might be a strong word! Whisper, maybe? There's something wonderfully vulnerable in its simplicity. Do you think the anonymity, the unrefined character are related to feelings on war in the Donbas? Editor: Absolutely. Kakhidze often explores themes of displacement and the emotional landscape of conflict. The lack of a defined identity, represented in that deliberately rough style, mirrors the disorientation and loss that many experience during wartime. Curator: Ah, it makes so much sense now. So, this Strawberry Andreevna, whoever she is, could be any child in any war-torn land, their faces flushed not with glee, but with the heat of unrest and suffering? Editor: Precisely. And in that, the artist reminds us of the quiet acts of creative protest in an absurd environment—and perhaps an intimate scream. It's deceptively profound, wouldn't you agree? Curator: Deceptive, yes, like a sugar-coated pill. But ultimately, undeniably moving. I feel… lighter and more thoughtful having shared this conversation. Editor: Likewise. Kakhidze’s piece pushes us to look beyond the surface and question who has the authority to be seen and heard and what counts as being human. A lasting and meaningful takeaway.