A. Garden 2020

Curator: Pavlo Makov, created "A. Garden" in 2020. It’s a graphite drawing on paper. What's your first impression? Editor: It feels almost like an archaeological map, something unearthed and precious, yet hinting at a civilization consumed by the landscape. The concentration of shapes in the center implies some type of social formation, a hidden network, maybe even a coded symbol. Curator: Interesting. I see something of an iconographic convergence. The geometric elements suggest rationality, perhaps a controlled environment, juxtaposed with the organic shapes hinting at a more chaotic natural order. Does that resonate? Editor: Absolutely, particularly considering the way constructed spaces are often weaponized through exclusion. The planned garden, the manicured lawn, becomes a battleground in the wider culture wars concerning class and access. Who gets to enjoy such carefully constructed 'nature'? Curator: And the trees? Do they seem to possess significance to you beyond being merely representative? Trees appear in nearly all world mythologies and in the sacred writings as symbols of life, perenniality, regeneration. Editor: The repetitive patterns, almost like cultivated fields, are visually mesmerizing, but also… a bit unsettling. It speaks to the historical legacy of agriculture. Agriculture allowed hierarchical, centralized societies to emerge, a phenomenon which in turn enabled some pretty terrible practices concerning land rights. What does it suggest to you? Curator: A reminder that symbols evolve—trees can be holy, or they can be owned. Perhaps here Makov seeks to convey both. This intersection reflects the tension in the artwork. We're left contemplating the psychological and societal ramifications of these choices. Editor: Well, examining those complexities reminds us of the necessity of critically evaluating even our most idealized images. Art’s power, it seems, is in helping us negotiate the visual language we’ve collectively inherited. Curator: Precisely. In "A. Garden," Makov uses the symbols of garden, trees, landscape as visual prompts, inviting the viewer to unpack centuries of accrued meaning and association. Editor: Thanks. Thinking about this image reminds me of how artists invite the deconstruction of established notions to allow us to challenge embedded perspectives and foster empathy.