Hexagram 57 1985

Editor: We're looking at "Hexagram 57," a 1985 linocut print by Oleksandr Aksinin. The print is awash in shades of red and packed with geometric and symbolic imagery. What strikes me is how this single color contributes to a dreamlike, almost unsettling atmosphere. What do you see in this piece, from a historical perspective? Curator: It's precisely this unsettling quality that captures my attention. Considering the historical context – 1985, Soviet Ukraine – we see how art became a site of coded resistance. This work’s symbolism acts as a challenge to the rigid control of cultural expression. The geometric abstractions and pseudo-religious iconography aren't just aesthetic choices. Aksinin would have been walking a fine line between artistic expression and potential censorship. Editor: So, the abstraction could be interpreted as a way of veiling potentially subversive ideas? Curator: Exactly. The hexagram itself is telling. Within the context of Eastern esotericism and particularly the I Ching, Hexagram 57 relates to subtle penetration and influence. It evokes a quiet but persistent force, much like the clandestine cultural resistance bubbling beneath the surface of Soviet society. Aksinin leverages symbolic visual language to discuss complex topics otherwise prohibited in the public sphere. The work becomes more than just art, but a testament to his historical circumstances and agency. How do you think it might have been received? Editor: It's intriguing to consider how Aksinin might have seen his work operating in a cultural landscape like Soviet Ukraine. It’s interesting how historical understanding can truly shift your perception. Curator: Precisely! Understanding the political context illuminates the artist’s intent, and it deepens our engagement with the piece and with art history more broadly. We start to understand that the politics of imagery affects reception just as much as intention.