A.D. Garden 2021

Pavlo Makov made *A.D. Garden* using a monochrome palette of blacks, whites, and grays, giving the impression of an infinite garden that disappears into the horizon. I can imagine Makov bent over the canvas, creating a whole world out of tiny marks. Look at each individual tree, carefully and intentionally placed. Did he feel like a demi-god bringing order to chaos? Or maybe more like a gardener patiently cultivating a space for reflection? I'm so moved by the surface: it's not just a picture of a garden, it's a physical, material thing. I see echoes of Piranesi’s architectural fantasies in this dream-like image, this imagined space, and am reminded how artists converse across time, each building upon the visions of those who came before. In making this imaginary garden, Makov invites us to wander, ponder, and lose ourselves.