Golden Gate (architectural motif) 1960

Curator: Standing before us is Yuriy Khymych's "Golden Gate (architectural motif)," created in 1960 using tempera. A rather striking piece. Editor: It feels intensely somber, almost like looking at a forgotten memory. The cool blues juxtaposed with the fiery oranges are arresting. There's a strange comfort in it though, like a fairy tale city emerging from the shadows. Curator: Absolutely. Khymych’s application of Byzantine art principles melds historical architecture with the expressiveness of painting. Notice how he abstracts the forms of the Golden Gate, emphasizing the geometry and structure. It invites an intellectual examination of architectural forms and the cultural weight it holds. Editor: For me it is the light. The thick impasto application creates a tactile dimension to these ethereal or fortress-like architectural masses; one almost expects to feel a texture of cool shadow mixed with ochre firelight... The painting appears both earthbound and transcendent simultaneously! The architecture is geometric yes, but is imbued with soul. Curator: An intriguing duality, certainly. Consider the role of tempera; this medium affords the piece a particular luminosity, enhancing its almost otherworldly effect. Moreover, reflect upon what this structure – the Golden Gate – once signified historically. Here it seems less a historical record and more like... an echo, distorted and impressionistic, yet resonant with symbolic presence. Editor: Echo is a perfect way to frame it. Almost like staring into the depths of one's psyche! The interplay of light, shadow, geometry, and organic cloud shapes create an unexpectedly intimate visual poem. It evokes feelings of reverence, remembrance, and quietude; so much more that just geometry! Curator: Precisely. The dialogue extends past the concrete and heads to something…more abstract, allowing room to imagine more interpretations and a more intimate look to what architecture truly embodies in people's mind. Editor: Agreed. It is always fulfilling to unearth the complex layers of emotional and intellectual substance embedded in such deceptively simplistic images! This tempera work has made me revisit what "golden" might signify.