Untitled 2018

Curator: Alevtyna Kakhidze created this intriguing ink and pen drawing on paper in 2018. The work, simply titled "Untitled," presents us with what feels like a deeply personal visual narrative spread across two pages of what appears to be a sketchbook. Editor: It strikes me immediately as having the raw, unfiltered quality of a private diary. The lines are sparse, almost childlike, but the overall effect is quite arresting, almost urgent in its expression. The stark contrast of black ink on the white paper really intensifies that feeling. Curator: Kakhidze, an artist from Ukraine, often incorporates personal experiences and sociopolitical commentary into her art. There’s a sense of witnessing internal conflicts, translated into this direct visual language. Note the recurring figures on the right panel hemmed within a broken border demarcated as "Russia." How do you read that juxtaposition? Editor: The dark, solid shape that consumes most of that right-hand page is really imposing. It looms large, creating a sense of containment or perhaps obliteration of space. The procession of figures along the periphery, each with what seems to be a Ukrainian flag at its heart, feel fragile in comparison. It almost serves as a metaphor for political fragility. Curator: Absolutely. Kakhidze often uses these recurring visual motifs and symbolic markers to comment on political issues that deeply impact Ukrainian society and culture. The seemingly simple rendering belies a complex web of historical and current issues facing Ukrainian identity. The left panel with the central figure amidst accompanying animals could possibly be allegorical. Editor: The figure itself seems almost suspended, weightless, flanked by these whimsical animals, but even that has a disquieting edge with the slight addition of sparse text. It lacks any real groundedness. Look closely at the use of thin and heavy linework; there is definitely emphasis in key areas on both panels. Curator: Kakhidze's work is deeply embedded in her lived reality. Her art frequently serves as both documentation and critique, aiming for change. Her sketchbook drawings are often shared online for the masses, bringing visibility to the realities experienced by those directly impacted by the current climate. Editor: Considering her cultural context really gives her work a visceral weight. It's deceptively simple on the surface, but a closer inspection reveals a profound commentary delivered with the honesty of raw line and composition. There’s a vulnerability to it that invites empathy and further interrogation of its core message.