Untitled 2022

Curator: Looking at Alevtyna Kakhidze's "Untitled" drawing from 2022, rendered in ink on paper, I'm struck by the rawness of the line work. It’s got this fantastic sketchbook energy, almost like peeking into the artist’s stream of consciousness. Editor: It does feel very immediate, doesn't it? My initial reaction is that it’s quite stark. There's a childlike simplicity to the figures and composition, but combined with the text, a sense of urgency, even distress, creeps in. Curator: Exactly. There’s a narrative unfolding on the page—the iconic lion from the State Hermitage Museum, a figure leaping towards... well, I'm not sure what. Is it hope, danger, salvation? Then there’s that handwritten line: "Mikhail Piotrovsky compares Russian export of culture to country’s operation on Ukraine". It's jarring, that position of culture, art, as a tool of… Editor:…aggression. The drawing becomes a potent commentary on cultural imperialism and the weaponization of heritage. The Hermitage lion, a symbol of Russian cultural power, suddenly feels implicated. Curator: That's a powerful reading. I also appreciate the humor lurking within the dark subject matter. The awkward rendering of the lion, the jaunty “jump!” exclamation—it’s a deflection, a coping mechanism. Art making sense of horror and trauma. Editor: I agree, the humor serves as a counterpoint, highlighting the absurdity and tragedy of the situation. The “jump!” could be read ironically, signaling both a desperate attempt to escape and the naivete of thinking art can transcend geopolitical conflict. Curator: So where does this drawing lead us? The artist could simply stay mute, but her voice and presence on that stage – that’s an incredible gift to her viewer and community. Editor: Yes, I think this piece speaks volumes about art's responsibility during times of crisis, that the refusal to remain neutral— the “jump!” becomes an act of defiance. Thank you. Curator: It was such a pleasure; it makes my blood flow to be in proximity to art and social criticism.