Untitled 1944

Kukryniksy made this untitled cartoon with ink and paint sometime in the mid twentieth century. The approach to mark-making here is wonderfully economical. Each line feels like it has been perfectly placed to create maximum impact, using the bare minimum amount of marks. The palette is pretty restrained too, mostly pale hues and muted tones. It kind of looks like a deck of cards, and the game is not going too well! The paper has a visible texture, which adds to the character of the piece. Up close, you can see the ink bleeds into the page, creating softer edges around the figures. The stark contrast between the sketchy lines and the solid blocks of colour gives the image a real graphic punch. The guy on the right, with the swastika armband, is drawn with particularly frantic lines, like a nervous energy is coursing through him. This reminds me a little of Philip Guston’s later work, where he embraced a similarly blunt, cartoonish style to tackle difficult subject matter. This cartoon is a reminder that art can be both funny and deadly serious at the same time.