Nude 1980

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this 'Nude' drawing with colored pencils, probably around 1980-81. I'm really drawn to the way he’s built up the image from these simple, repetitive marks; it makes me think about process. Look at how the linear strokes of red, yellow and blue dance together to create the figure and her surroundings. Notice how the hatch marks give shape to her body, almost like a topographical map of the skin. The nipples are just these tiny nests of red lines! There is something so direct and honest about this method, the vulnerability of the naked body is echoed by the plainness of the technique. The blue lines on the background almost have an Op Art quality to them, a bit like Bridget Riley. Yet the overall composition has a rawness that reminds me of outsider art. I think it’s so cool how it balances sophistication with a kind of raw, untamed energy.