Septemvri 1923 1925

Ivan Milev created Septemvri 1923 with what looks like watercolor. The image feels like it emerged from the depths of the paper, shifting and solidifying through trial, error, and intuition. It's hard to imagine what Milev was thinking when he made this—maybe about the weight of history, the burden of memory, or the act of bearing witness. I get a sense that the paint is pretty thin. See how it's soaked into the paper? That choice gives the image a feeling of fragility, as if it could dissolve at any moment. The texture is soft and almost velvety, which contrasts with the harshness of the subject matter. Look at the gesture of the woman's hands covering her face—it speaks volumes about grief, despair, and trauma, but also the need to protect oneself from the horrors of the world. It reminds me of Kollwitz, with its themes of war and poverty, but with its own unique blend of folk art and modernism. Artists are always speaking to each other across time! Painting is embodied expression, allowing for multiple interpretations. It leaves space for ambiguity and uncertainty.