Paraphrase VII 1983

Oleksandr Aksinin created this intriguing piece, "Paraphrase VII," using watercolor and ink, presenting us with potent symbols steeped in cultural meaning. Note the figure of Death, perched with a scythe, a memento mori, a reminder of our mortality that has haunted art since the medieval danse macabre. The bottles evoke notions of transience and perhaps escapism. These symbols are staged in a way that connects back to ancient beliefs about death and the afterlife, which run like a subterranean stream through human consciousness. Consider how the image evokes the feeling of vanitas paintings, artworks designed to remind us of the brevity of life. Yet, in Aksinin's hands, these symbols are not static. They are imbued with a modern, personal context that reflects the subconscious fears and anxieties of the 20th century. The cyclical progression of this image, from ancient fears to modern anxieties, mirrors the way symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.