The sketch to the movie "Colour of Pomegranate". "Hunter" 1967

Curator: Here we have Sergei Parajanov’s “The Sketch to the movie “Colour of Pomegranate”. “Hunter”” created around 1967. It’s a mixed media collage, very evocative of the Soviet Nonconformist Art movement. What are your first thoughts? Editor: A warrior made of scavenged beauty… A sombre figure with the whimsical touch of dreams. It’s powerful. There’s this rawness, almost primal energy in those cut-and-pasted fragments, each telling its own silent story. Like memories stitched together. Curator: Indeed. It's crucial to view this through the lens of Soviet censorship at the time. Parajanov faced constant opposition, and his films, including "Colour of Pomegranate", were heavily scrutinized and re-edited. This sketch might be interpreted as his personal revolt against prescribed narratives. Editor: A beautiful rebellion! His restrictions fuelled some inventive symbolism, right? The stark contrasts, the textures. What’s the meaning behind this "hunter," do you think? He seems so… burdened. His eyes hidden, face obscured with fragments like secrets withheld. Curator: Precisely! In Parajanov's context, the hunter figure could signify suppressed cultural identity or an individual’s pursuit of artistic freedom. His choice of collage, assembling fragments, might mirror how he had to piece together meaning amid the ideological constraints he faced. It is about lost identity. Editor: He is hunting down his own truth. Amazing. You look closer and sense all the little battles it took just to *make* this. That quiet audacity gives me chills! Thank goodness artists like him don’t let anyone silence the heart. Curator: Agreed. It serves as a testament to the enduring spirit of creativity—especially the kind born from restrictions and oppression, challenging prevailing norms. Parajanov’s sketch, then, becomes more than a preparatory work. It's a brave declaration. Editor: A collage of courage. Well, now that hunter will keep me awake all night! Curator: A powerful work, capable of engaging our social and emotional consciousness.