Sea shore 1967

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this watercolor painting called 'Seashore' sometime during his career in Ukraine. At first glance, its clear geometric forms and limited palette might suggest the influence of Russian Suprematism. But look more closely, and you'll see how Havrylenko uses abstraction not to escape the world, but to make us reconsider it. What does it mean to represent the 'seashore' using only abstract shapes? Is this an attempt to break down reality into its most basic components? Or is it a comment on the way that our perception is always filtered through abstract ideas and cultural assumptions? Havrylenko worked in the Soviet Union, where artists often had to negotiate a difficult path between personal expression and state-approved styles. We can better understand the nuances of this painting by researching the art policies of the Soviet era, and comparing Havrylenko's work to that of his contemporaries. This work reminds us that art always exists within a specific social and institutional context.