Woemergency 1942

Woemergency by Kukryniksy, feels like it's been scratched into life using ink and crayon, the whole thing underpinned by earthy hues. I’m picturing Kukryniksy hunched over this drawing, the weight of the world bearing down on him, each mark a little jab at power. Check out the way he renders the figures, all grotesque and bloated. The bold outlines, the cross hatching... It's like he’s trying to pin these guys down, trap them on the page. They're being examined by men in white coats. The one in the middle has a weird comb over. And the surface! Look how the paper almost seems to absorb the ink, giving it that grainy texture. What interests me most is the message, how the piece skewers authority, turning it into something pathetic and ridiculous. The power of satire, right? It feels like I’m looking at something that's both a historical document and a cry for help.