Kundalini 1983 1983

Oleksandr Aksinin made 'Kundalini' in 1983, and just look at that snake! It’s like a visual poem exploring the body and spirit, or perhaps an illustration from a book of mystical tales. Aksinin's lines are so precise, each tiny dot seems carefully placed. I'm drawn to the contrast between the dark, still pool and the vibrant, almost cartoonish snake. The green is so alive, practically leaping off the surface. Those little red spots give it a playful edge, which is juxtaposed against the sinister-looking black pit. The tiny figure floating on the surface, like some Ophelia-esque figure, seems to be at the serpent's mercy. It reminds me a bit of Hilma af Klint's work, with its symbolic language and otherworldly feel. Both artists seem to be reaching for something beyond the visible, using art as a means of exploring inner realms. Art isn’t about answers, it’s about the questions we ask along the way.