Glade of Lovers 2009

Pavlo Makov made "Glade of Lovers" with etching, which he sees as a thoughtful conversation. It’s not just about what’s depicted, but about the back and forth of adding and subtracting marks. I love the surface here, you see the texture of the paper and these brown stains. The etching process gives these really fine lines, almost like thread. The way the buildings and trees are stacked feels like a memory palace, a place where everything is connected. Check out how some of the trees look like they're dissolving into the ground, while others are super crisp. This tension is what makes the whole thing tick. It's like the whole scene is breathing. I keep thinking about Piranesi’s architectural fantasies, but Makov brings something else, a tenderness maybe? Art is an invitation, not a lecture, it’s about keeping the conversation alive.