Mermaid 1930

Curator: Look at this striking figuration painted by Oleksa Novakivskyi around 1930, titled "Mermaid." It is oil on canvas. Editor: What jumps out immediately is the raw energy of the brushwork. It feels both chaotic and purposeful. The vibrant red of the woman's dress really commands the eye against the blues of the waterfall backdrop. Curator: Indeed. Novakivskyi worked within a specific historical moment. His teaching studio in Lviv served as an incubator for Ukrainian modernism. Consider the historical context—art became a critical space to imagine national identity. And consider the use of materials easily acquired for creating such work during his career. Editor: That makes me think about this “mermaid”. Who is she? A mythical being or a modern Ukrainian woman being re-imagined with socialist aesthetics? It challenges accepted archetypes and offers new symbolic values using Fauvist energy but controlled via an almost Art Nouveau sensibility. Curator: Interesting point! This "mermaid" certainly fits within the debates about how one makes folk art into national art. You're right about Fauvism mixing with elements of Art Nouveau; that is one aspect that makes Novakivskyi significant in understanding cultural trends and the role the landscape paintings have in early 20th century Ukraine. Editor: Yes. There is this clear interplay between traditional themes and modern techniques that offer us great ways of exploring new approaches in Ukrainian art and a lens through which cultural values and historical context intertwine. We could also examine how this challenges institutional art spaces and democratizes art. Curator: Absolutely. When viewing "Mermaid" and understanding the complex background to the work that underpinned Novakivskyi’s work and career, the vibrant art he taught represents and becomes a lens onto society. Editor: Exactly, it makes you think of how our interaction as viewers contribute further to his work now.