Untitled 2022

Editor: Here we have Alevtyna Kakhidze's "Untitled," a mixed-media drawing from 2022. I find the composition quite intriguing with its simplistic lines and seemingly naive style, almost like a page from a child’s notebook, but it feels laden with symbolic elements. What's your interpretation? Curator: This piece really speaks to me through its layering of personal and political narratives. The childlike style, as you mentioned, can be deceptive. Think about it: Who gets to claim naïveté, and what power dynamics are at play? How does that contrast with the directness of the anti-war message? Editor: That's a powerful point. The text definitely pulls you in with its blunt invitation to an "anti-war Green Party." And there’s the plant talking to Katharina Fritsch… How do all these elements come together? Curator: It seems like Kakhidze is inviting us to consider the intersections of environmentalism, pacifism, and personal agency. The plant, a symbol of growth and resilience, might represent a call to nurture peace. How does the strawberry plant in the image intersect with this commentary, do you think? Editor: Well, the text says, "If you, like I, won't fight, if they come to pick berries with a knife, then welcome to the genuine Green Party." It is so direct that I see that the strawberry plant is not willing to defend its fruits with weapons, which is akin to pacifism. Curator: Exactly! The artist is framing pacifism not as weakness but as a conscious choice, intertwined with environmental stewardship. And who is Katharina Fritsch for the plant? Does the artist feel represented by her, as someone willing to listen to nature? These are important questions to consider within the social contexts of the 21st century and how we understand what shapes our identity. Editor: This has given me a completely new perspective on the work. I now see it as a multifaceted statement about our responsibilities towards peace and the planet. Curator: Precisely, it prompts us to actively question and reshape the narrative around conflict, inviting viewers to recognize personal involvement with societal ethics.