River 

Volodymyr Orlovsky painted "River" with oil on canvas, and the tranquil image is dominated by the serene flow of water, reflecting the sky, and the lush vegetation on either side, creating a harmonious balance. The river, as a symbol, has coursed through human consciousness across millennia, appearing in mythologies from the rivers Styx and Acheron marking the boundary of the underworld, to the rivers of paradise, signifying life, purification, and transition. Its tranquil surface mirrors the skies above, evoking a sense of introspection. However, this very tranquility masks the river’s inherent power. As with Heraclitus’s observation that one cannot step into the same river twice, water symbolizes constant change, a perpetual flux that defies stagnation. Think of Ophelia, surrounded by water and flowers, the river both a symbol of life and her final resting place. This emotional and psychological duality of water engages viewers on a subconscious level, reminding us of the ever-present dance between life and death. The river flows on, an eternal symbol, resurfacing in art and our collective unconscious, its meanings ever-evolving yet eternally resonant.