Wheat, flowers, grapes 1954

Kateryna Bilokur made “Wheat, Flowers, Grapes” with oil on canvas, although the date is unknown. It's not photo-real, but the colors feel real. Bilokur captures a dream-like, abundant harvest, a feeling more than a thing. I'm struck by the mass of green at the bottom. Look at how she's built it up with tiny brushstrokes. The leaves and vines are almost scribbled, full of lively energy, a feeling of growth, expansion. The little white flowers, like tiny stars, give it all a sense of depth. It's so physical, the paint itself, it feels like you could almost reach out and touch it. Her work reminds me of Frida Kahlo’s in its directness and power, but the mark making has a completely different feel. Both offer very intimate expressions that reveal a lot about the way these two artists see the world. There's no one 'right' way to see it, which is what makes art so great.