Untitled 2022

Editor: We're looking at Alevtyna Kakhidze's "Untitled" drawing from 2022, rendered with pen and ink. There's something stark about the simplicity of the lines against the heavy subject matter alluded to in the text. What's your read on this piece? Curator: Well, I immediately focus on the materials and the labor embedded in this deceptively simple drawing. The accessibility of pen and ink – its low cost and ubiquity – creates an immediate connection to daily life. This challenges the traditional hierarchies within art, asking us to value the means of production just as much as the image itself. Consider the hand-lettering – its unpolished quality is a direct result of labor. How does that relate to the phrase: "Nothing Personal?" Editor: That's interesting! The phrase takes on a darker tone when you think about the deliberate, hand-crafted aspect of the drawing itself. The contrast seems to make the banality of evil even more striking. Curator: Precisely! And notice how the "comic strip sketch" style juxtaposes with the grave themes of war and displacement. Kakhidze is forcing us to confront the materials of conflict and its consequences, pushing past abstraction. The choice of accessible materials makes the statement more cutting. The lack of traditional artistic skill normalizes conflict through common materials. Does the piece offer insight into the means and reasons to normalize violent conflict? Editor: So it is by intentionally rejecting any idealized vision through her material choices and raw execution, that she powerfully emphasizes social critique. Curator: Yes. And think about how widely accessible it can be seen online through the sharing and reposting of content - what do the means of access bring to light? Editor: I didn't consider that aspect. Seeing it outside a gallery setting really does change my perception of the work. It all speaks to accessibility and shared experience doesn't it? I learned a lot by digging beneath the surface, focusing on materiality.