Untitled 2022

Curator: This untitled piece, created by Alevtyna Kakhidze in 2022, is primarily a drawing rendered with ink on paper. It’s intriguing, isn't it? Editor: Yes, a jumble, almost a coded message with simple figuration, yet oddly compelling, it looks very therapeutic, too. The symbols feel personal, like an artist's sketchbook or journal entry. Curator: Well, looking at the context, this work emerged in 2022. Kakhidze, being a Ukrainian artist, created this drawing just before the full-scale invasion, on February 27. This political backdrop and her cultural identity surely influence the narrative we perceive. Editor: I see stick figures, almost child-like drawings paired with more developed figures – there's a sense of vulnerability. What does "5000 Grey" signify at the top, alongside that peculiar creature? And how about the phrase below? Curator: "5000 Grey" is most likely a reference to radiation levels and perhaps reflects fears related to conflict, it can refer to cancer treatments or other kinds of radiation measurements. And what seems to be written next to it references microscopic organisms "tardigrades" suggesting endurance or resilience amidst adversity. Kakhidze employs an intimate, almost diaristic, language of personal and social concerns. Editor: The phrase about "long chain of people who make decisions and implement complex codes" feels quite Kafkaesque, like a bureaucracy pressing down. Do you agree? Curator: Precisely, you see that anxiety of power, the weight of collective decisions which become, often, impossible to decode at an individual level, as if one simple decision hinges upon approval after approval, up the chain. The final remark in bold—"specially made for protection from inadequacy"—sums up, in a dark humor fashion, a fear. Editor: I was immediately drawn to its directness but also it invites more careful thought, and the child-like and hand drawn quality helps communicate its own powerful vision. A chaotic but honest depiction of a complex reality. Curator: Exactly. Kakhidze captured a particular historical moment with layered and idiosyncratic symbolism open to many interpretations. Editor: A testament to art as both expression and cultural record, thank you.