Layout of Panas Mirnyi's book "Chipka". The eighth turn 1969

Editor: Here we have Hryhorii Havrylenko’s “Layout of Panas Mirnyi's book Chipka. The eighth turn,” made in 1969 with ink on paper. There’s a palpable sense of solitude emanating from the figure, even in this small sketch. I wonder, what draws your attention most about this layout? Curator: My eye is drawn to the stark contrast between the completed sketch and the vast, empty space surrounding it. The figure, rendered in such detail, appears almost trapped, doesn't it? This reminds me of the visual language of confinement and isolation. Consider, the very act of laying out a page is a form of architectural control, a predetermination of what will be seen and in what order. What emotional impact does that contrast create, do you think? Editor: I guess it heightens the feeling of vulnerability. Like, the figure’s exposed within these rigid, empty boundaries. Does the placement of the image in the lower corner affect how we perceive the image in the work as a whole? Curator: Absolutely. Its placement is deliberate, diminishing its power within the overall structure. There’s a symbolic weight in that positioning. Consider what is *not* shown – the absence around this character in itself becomes a character within the frame. It becomes a canvas for the viewer’s own emotional projections, drawing upon cultural memories of isolation. What story does the symbol elicit in you, visually? Editor: It makes me consider the story being illustrated and the figure’s place within that larger narrative. It's more than just a single sketch; it is part of something bigger. Curator: Exactly! Havrylenko invites us to consider not only the immediate emotional impact but the broader cultural narrative embedded in the work and its placement. I see that these layouts of a book give us insights into cultural narratives. Editor: Yes, looking at this sketch has opened my eyes to considering narrative embedded within design of layouts and in this instance, in the whole book itself.