Exlibris A. Strumiłło 1976

This etching, Exlibris A. Strumiłło, was made in 1977 by Oleksandr Aksinin, and it's a trip. The way Aksinin uses hatching and cross-hatching reminds me that artmaking is really a conversation between the artist and the material. Check out the way the tiny marks build up the image of this surreal building. It's like a fortress of knowledge with a slightly anxious-looking figure perched on top. The texture is so delicate, yet it creates this robust, almost architectural feel. The limited palette enhances the otherworldly quality, making you feel like you're peering into someone’s dream or maybe a memory. Those little floating droplets or stars add another layer, hinting at something beyond the physical structure. It's a testament to how much emotional and conceptual weight can be carried by simple lines. It’s like, who knows what any of it means, but that's the beauty of art, right? Like outsider artists such as Adolf Wolfli, Aksinin embraces ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own interpretations to the table.