Glade of Lovers 2009

Pavlo Makov made this work, Glade of Lovers, with what looks like ink on paper. It’s such a fascinating composition, the way the trees form a kind of proscenium, framing these ordinary buildings. I can imagine him, hunched over this large sheet, carefully rendering each branch, each brick. There’s something almost architectural about the precision with which Makov draws. The lines are so delicate, creating a sense of depth and perspective that pulls you into the scene. It's almost a stage set – but for what? I can sense a tension between the natural and the man-made, the wildness of the glade versus the stark reality of those buildings. And that stain in the corner? It's like the ghost of a memory, or a spilled cup of tea, marking the surface and adding another layer of meaning to the work. It reminds me how artists like Rauschenberg incorporated accidental marks into their work, embracing chance and the unpredictable. I think Makov is in good company.