Untitled 2017

Alevtyna Kakhidze made this untitled drawing with pen on paper. We might consider how the artist's Ukrainian nationality bears on her practice of art. Her works often provide social commentary, and, like much art from Eastern Europe, this can be seen as a response to a post-Soviet environment. In this case, the drawing seems to be about global politics in general. The work employs a visual language made of what looks like protest signs, vaguely human figures, and an illegible Cyrillic phrase or slogan. Considering the cultural history of the region, we might ask how this drawing relates to the tradition of protest art. Is the artist commenting on specific events, or does she engage in a more generalized critique of power? Further study of Kakhidze's statements, along with a close look at the political history of Ukraine, could reveal more about the social function of this drawing.