Coffee Beans 1974

Oleksandr Aksinin made “Coffee Beans” with ink on paper; the artwork presents a structured composition dominated by black and white with minimal colour accents. Just imagine the artist carefully maneuvering the pen, adding layer upon layer of ink. There is something amusing about the people on top of the structure who are drinking cups of coffee as though they have occupied it. I can imagine Aksinin, pen in hand, totally absorbed in the process of creating the lines and shapes; how each mark carefully placed, contributes to the overall dynamic. Look at how the rigid geometric shapes contrast with the more organic forms, like the clouds. There is an exchange between precision and spontaneity. The texture created by the ink gives depth, making you want to run your fingers over the surface. Aksinin’s work, while unique, reminds me of the geometric abstractions of Hilma af Klint or even some of the surrealist landscapes of Max Ernst. Artists are always talking to each other across time and space, riffing on ideas and pushing the boundaries of what painting can be.