Female image 1975

This is a drawing of a female image by Hryhorii Havrylenko, and it’s all about the energy of line. I find myself drawn to the way Havrylenko fearlessly renders form with these quick, almost scribbled lines. They remind me of Cy Twombly's work, not in style, but in the pursuit of immediacy. Look at the hatching around her face, or the linear patterning of her clothing. Each stroke feels like a direct response, capturing the planes of her face and the way the light might have hit her at that particular moment. The rawness of the medium—ink on paper, probably—adds to the emotional impact. It's transparent in its making; there’s no hiding. It feels like we are witnessing the artist's thought process unfold. I love the way the rapid, repetitive strokes in the figure's clothing contrast with the slightly softer, more delicate treatment of her face. The simplicity of the materials amplifies the sensitivity of the artist’s gaze. It's a reminder that art, at its core, is a conversation, an ongoing dialogue of marks and ideas.