The Fourth 'Book of Schemes'. Album #2, the First Folder 1978

Editor: Here we have Valerii Lamakh’s, “The Fourth 'Book of Schemes'. Album #2, the First Folder,” created in 1978 using ink as a medium. It’s striking how Lamakh balances rigid geometric forms with the almost playful use of color. What do you make of it? Curator: The beauty here is precisely in that tension, isn’t it? We must look at the materials and the process. The repetitive use of simple ink lines to create this grid structure points to a labor-intensive practice, a system almost like weaving. Editor: Weaving? I hadn't thought of that! So, the ink isn't just ink, but almost a thread? Curator: Exactly! Consider how the colored circles disrupt the grid. What is their function? Are they meant to be consumed? Representing something… else? Editor: That’s an interesting question. It feels like he's mapping something out, but it's coded in these geometric and chromatic forms. It reminds me of those weaving patterns, those "schemes," that tell a story of cultural memory and the handcraft behind it. Curator: Precisely! And don't ignore the ‘album’ and ‘folder’ mentioned in the name, referencing production. We have to think how this art mediates functionality with art, inviting questions on skill, artistic production and maybe the hidden systems around us. The interplay is essential for comprehending the artwork's power. Editor: I see what you mean! The materials, process, labor, functionality… All these provide avenues of thinking about art and craft, blurring the lines. Thank you! Curator: A pleasure. Material engagement helps unveil so many rich angles to look at artworks!