Untitled. Srawberry Andreevna 2016

Editor: This is Alevtyna Kakhidze’s “Untitled. Strawberry Andreevna,” a 2016 ink drawing on paper. There's a raw, almost childlike quality to the figures and handwritten text. I'm struck by the narrative feel – it's both intimate and unsettling. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This drawing speaks to me of memory, trauma, and resilience within the context of lived experience, likely related to the artist’s background in Ukraine. Note the starkness of the lines, the flatness of the figures, and the handwritten text integrated directly into the image – this is a deliberate aesthetic choice reflecting a kind of urgent storytelling. What connections can you draw between the text and the visual elements? Editor: The text identifies the figures, like "parents of the killed woman" and "my mother". It adds a layer of personal history. The phrase in red, "the kids - her kids - of the killed woman" highlights intergenerational trauma. The simplicity of the drawing contrasts with the complexity and darkness of its theme. Curator: Exactly. This contrast, I think, is key. Kakhidze's work invites us to consider the power dynamics inherent in representation. Who gets to tell the story of the "killed woman," and how is that story shaped by personal perspective? What sociopolitical issues do you think may have led to such artwork? Editor: The Ukrainian context likely infuses it with issues of violence, displacement, and the aftermath of conflict and oppression. The artist’s personal experiences, mediated through the lens of family, memory, and place, create something undeniably powerful. Curator: It pushes us to think critically about how art can be a vehicle for mourning, remembrance, and social commentary, particularly by underrepresented voices using "outsider" or unconventional forms. I'm glad this artwork helps make these themes more visible and easier to access. Editor: Absolutely. Looking at this work has been an eye-opening experience, and given me an intersectional perspective I had not considered at first.