Sunflower (a page from Abracadabra) 2020

Pavlo Makov made this large drawing, *Sunflower (a page from Abracadabra)*, in no particular year, using a restricted palette of blues, greys, and browns, laid down in precise patterns that almost look like an architectural plan. Up close, the surface is really something – all mottled and stained, the colours are translucent in some areas, revealing the paper beneath, and opaque in others, hinting at layers of process. I particularly like how the diamond pattern on the right seems to dissolve into the background, yet maintains this strong linear quality. It's like a ghost of a memory, or a landscape fading into mist. The mark-making feels so deliberate, yet there's a looseness in the application that keeps it from feeling too rigid. Makov's work reminds me of Vija Celmins, who also explores ideas of mapping and memory. Ultimately, this piece makes you consider what we see and how we see it, and how our interpretations are always shifting. It’s about embracing the questions, not necessarily finding the answers.