Untitled. Srawberry Andreevna 2019

Editor: This is "Untitled. Srawberry Andreevna," a mixed-media drawing on paper created in 2019 by Alevtyna Kakhidze. It looks like a page from a sketchbook or storyboard, with hand-lettering and simple drawings of houses. The mood feels personal, maybe even a bit raw. What do you see in this piece, from a formalist perspective? Curator: Initially, I'm drawn to the starkness of the black ink against the white paper, the lines forming a clear contrast. Notice how the composition divides roughly into two horizontal registers. The upper half is dominated by text, contained within a drawn frame, creating a distinct block of information, whereas the lower register presents an equally sparse image of two simplistic houses against a continuous line, as though mirroring the block of text, offering a visual grounding, though somewhat disjointed, with only simple linework. Do you see a dialogue unfolding in this opposition? Editor: I do. It’s interesting how the text dominates the space. I am wondering why she added the line frame within the art piece. Does it separate what's written in a way? Curator: Precisely. This line suggests a deliberate act of framing, calling attention to the content of the dialogue, while simultaneously removing it from the 'real world' of the paper surrounding it. This internal framing further highlights the deliberate composition and the separation and contrast of the top and bottom visual and written 'grounds' within the artwork. Consider too, the almost child-like rendering of the houses. It’s simple, direct and seemingly naive but this does nothing to diminish their formal, geometrical integrity. What do you make of that simplicity? Editor: I see what you mean. The artist has created internal frames to make the viewer consider the relationship and meaning within them in new way, with simplicity and focus. Curator: Exactly. It underscores that the artist intended us to unpack her artistic creation at both the textual and the purely visual level to fully engage with the work. Editor: Thank you; I learned how an art piece can be more complex than what I first understood, just through formal analysis. Curator: It has also given me insights to consider new angles in interpreting narrative in visual and written form.