Composition 1982

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this untitled composition with colored pencils, and what strikes me is how the process seems so present. The marks aren’t trying to trick you into thinking they're anything other than what they are: strokes of colored wax on paper. Up close, you can really see the texture of the paper coming through. The colors are layered in such a way that they create this shimmering effect, like light filtering through water or maybe a stained-glass window. It's not just about the colors themselves, but how they interact with each other and the surface they're on. The slight imperfections, the areas where the color is denser or lighter, give it a real sense of depth and movement. There's a great little scribble of green in the upper left corner, it's almost like a signature move, a reminder that this is all about the artist's hand and eye, making something out of nothing. This piece reminds me a little of Joan Miró, but with a more intimate, almost folksy feel. Ultimately, it’s a very individual, idiosyncratic vision.