Exlibris of Borys Ozerov 1983

Editor: We’re looking at Oleksandr Aksinin’s “Exlibris of Borys Ozerov,” an etching from 1983. There’s something wonderfully bizarre about it – like a dream caught on paper. A winged creature that seems part-bird, part-musical instrument...and is that a person built into a boat? What do you see in this piece, beyond the obvious oddity? Curator: Oh, the obvious *is* delightful, isn't it? But beyond that playful surface, I sense a meditation on the very idea of a bookplate - an 'ex libris.' It's not just a label; it's a miniature emblem, a whisper of ownership and identity. See how the geometric shapes mingle with the organic? It's a push-and-pull, isn't it? What does the accordion-bird sing, I wonder? Editor: An accordion-bird – I love that! So you think the fantastical imagery might be a way of exploring personal identity through symbolic representation? The geometric versus the organic, maybe representing the internal and external selves? Curator: Precisely! And consider the medium – etching, with its delicate lines. Aksinin uses that to conjure a sense of meticulous dreaming. It's as though he's painstakingly mapping the terrain of someone's inner world. A very Aksinin sort of magic. Do you think the figure is inspired from mythology, perhaps, as I almost recognize that posture? Editor: Possibly. It does have that ancient feel about it. I like your point about meticulous dreaming. Curator: Art enriches your imagination when you stop focusing on being exact. A fantastic bookplate to contemplate about the self, identity, and the blending of imagination. I wonder what sort of books Ozerov collected to have chosen such a wonderful expression. Editor: It’s definitely given me a fresh perspective on the humble bookplate, seeing it as more than just a name tag. Thanks!