Landscape 1970

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this landscape painting, we don't know exactly when, but it's a window into his process. There's something so gentle about the way the paint is applied, little dashes and strokes that build up this hazy scene. It’s like he's inviting us to slow down and really look. Up close, you can see the texture – not too thick, not too thin, just enough to catch the light and give the painting a bit of a shimmer. The colors, mostly muted greens, blues, and browns, create a kind of quiet harmony. See how the strokes of the brush seem to mimic the way light filters through the air, especially in the top half of the canvas. The horizon line, it just about dissolves. Havrylenko reminds me of Agnes Martin, in the way he coaxes something monumental out of the minimalist. The painting feels open, like a space for contemplation, with so much left unsaid. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what you see.