Untitled 1989

This untitled artwork by Vasiliy Ryabchenko is a mixed media piece where painting and collage meet on a 50 by 70 centimeter surface. The beauty of this piece lies in the layering. It’s a real peek into the artist's process, isn't it? You can see how Ryabchenko builds up the surface with broad strokes of earthy tones and then lets loose with these energetic blue scribbles on top. The texture is so alive, almost like you could reach out and feel the history of each mark. Then comes the collage, these delicate cut-outs of figures and botanicals. See how he places them kind of haphazardly? It’s like he’s saying that life itself is a collage, a jumble of unexpected elements. Look at that dark stroke of paint that grounds the little figure, it’s almost violent. Ryabchenko reminds me of Cy Twombly, someone who knew how to make something tender and tough at the same time. For me, this piece is a reminder that art is always a conversation, an ongoing experiment.