Drawing from the Shelter on Semashko Street 2022

Danil Nemirovsky made this drawing with what looks like a ballpoint pen on paper, capturing a shelter scene on Semashko Street. It’s all in red, which gives it this raw, urgent feel. What grabs me is the way Nemirovsky uses line. It's not just about outlining shapes; it's like the lines are feeling their way through the space. There's a lot of cross-hatching, especially in the shadows, which gives depth but also adds to the chaotic energy. You can almost feel the stuffiness and the closeness of the space through the density of those lines. The figures are solid but they are also kind of dissolving into their surroundings, which are full of domestic details: bottles, plates, cutlery, and patterned cushions. It reminds me a bit of some of Philip Guston’s later, more figurative work. Both artists share a knack for turning the personal into something universal, and making visible the invisible pressures that weigh on us. But this image remains unique. Like all great art, it’s a conversation, not a monologue.