Curatorial notes
Davyd Chychkan, born in Kyiv, Ukraine, painted this untitled image in what appears to be oil on canvas. The way that Chychkan has approached his materials – look at that vivid blue background, roughly applied – immediately signals this is not a painting that’s striving after the conventions of painterly illusion. The colors are unsubtle. The figures are schematic, almost cartoonish. The overall effect is one of social realism. The artist has sacrificed certain conventions of fine art, in favor of direct visual communication. The painting depicts miners holding what look like trade union flags, an explicit reference to labor politics. It suggests that the real value of this work lies not just in the application of paint, but in its message of solidarity. Chychkan offers here a forceful reminder that art can – and perhaps even should – concern itself with the world of everyday experience, labor, and political engagement.
