Exlibris of S.Darky 1976

Oleksandr Aksinin created this etching, "Exlibris of S.Darky", in 1976. It’s a surreal little scene, like a doorway to another dimension. I imagine Aksinin hunched over the plate, his hand moving with incredible precision to create this world. What’s amazing is how much detail he manages to get into such a small space. It's a little bit sci-fi, a little bit mystical. The longer I look the more I think it has something to do with the subconscious, maybe dreams and memories. The mark-making is meticulous and the dark lines evoke a sense of mystery and otherworldliness. The shading gives volume to the image. The etching process itself becomes a form of inquiry, a way to explore Aksinin’s own visual language and invite us to interpret its strange symbolism, its meanings are not fixed. It reminds me a little bit of Goya or Piranesi, these kinds of artists who are also printmakers, with their dark humour and inventive vision. And this is how artists keep the conversation going through time.