Untitled. Srawberry Andreevna 2018

Editor: Here we have Alevtyna Kakhidze's "Untitled. Srawberry Andreevna" from 2018, an ink drawing on paper. I’m struck by its sort of raw, diary-like quality. What draws your eye to this work? Curator: I'm fascinated by the artist's ability to intertwine personal narrative with broader sociopolitical contexts. Consider the visual language. The deliberately simple drawing style and handwritten text feel intensely personal, almost vulnerable. But within that intimacy, Kakhidze touches upon universal experiences of displacement and identity. Editor: Displacement? I was mostly focused on the figure and the cats. Curator: Look at the context. Kakhidze is a Ukrainian artist, and her work often reflects the complexities of life in a region marked by conflict and shifting borders. The scrawled text, even if we can’t readily translate it, conveys a sense of urgency, perhaps anxiety, about belonging and stability. How do you interpret the presence of the animals, and even the title, "Srawberry Andreevna," in relation to that? Editor: I guess I hadn’t really thought about the title or the animals within that context… perhaps the cats and even the strawberry represent a longing for simpler times, a lost sense of home and security. The "strawberry" might be read as a symbol of happier memories from the artist's childhood in Ukraine. Curator: Exactly! Kakhidze uses these seemingly mundane elements to evoke a profound sense of longing and resilience, challenging us to think about how personal stories are always intertwined with larger political narratives. It prompts questions about national identity and the psychological toll of political unrest. Editor: I see. This conversation really shifted my perspective on the piece! Now I’m noticing so much more. Curator: Art can be a powerful tool to spark dialogue about our shared humanity and how larger narratives shape our individual lives.