Illustrations for Mikhail Stelmakh's book "In the Hedgehog's Windmill" 1956

Curator: Here we have a page of illustrations by Hryhorii Havrylenko for Mikhail Stelmakh's book, "In the Hedgehog's Windmill," dating back to 1956. The media consist of drawing, using ink on paper. Editor: Ah, this pulls at the heartstrings. There's such a gentle, innocent feel to it. Like a half-remembered dream of childhood, rendered in sepia tones and whispered verse. Curator: Indeed. We observe a figuration rendered in a Social Realism style, where clarity of form serves narrative legibility. The composition utilizes a two-part structure: above, stylized birds in flight, and below, two children, one pointing skyward. Note the presence of accompanying text, integral to the work. Editor: They’re gazing at those cranes, right? It makes you think about longing, journeys. I wonder if the kids are just starting off on their life path and relating to birds in nature like that. It reminds me that life is a journey from the ground up. A flock’s always on the move. Curator: Semiotically, the birds symbolize transition and migration. Their upward trajectory contrasts with the static pose of the children, possibly hinting at future aspirations within the context of the Soviet era. Notice the linework's meticulous detailing, employed for didactic as well as aesthetic purposes. Editor: I feel like you just peeled back layers I didn't know were there. All that Social Realism and didacticism… it's interesting how even in what looks like a simple picture book drawing, you find this intricate network of meaning and technique. For me it is something different. A yearning look skyward is what my first feelings brought to mind. It is the journey from ground up and seeing potential out there in life. Curator: Precisely. Such details speak to a broader context in this piece. Thank you, I suppose for opening a different line of sight on this work. Editor: I think we make quite a good team doing this, don't you agree?