Untitled 1989

Curator: This intriguing piece, simply titled "Untitled," comes to us from Oleg Holosiy in 1989. It’s an acrylic on canvas, steeped in the language of abstract expressionism. My first thought? Raw energy. Editor: Yes, “energy” is definitely the word. But it’s a subdued energy, like a storm brewing on the horizon. Holosiy really uses texture here to create that sense of unease. It almost feels like a landscape turned inside out, or maybe an x-ray of one? Curator: I love that! The way you see a landscape, even an inside-out one! For me, it’s the artist wrestling with something internal. The almost violent application of paint—the splatters, the scrapings—it feels like an outpouring of emotion he is trying to process in real time. It is like a pure record. Editor: Agreed, and given the year—1989—we can’t ignore the sociopolitical context. The Soviet Union was crumbling; there was an upheaval in social and political thought. I see a visual manifestation of that chaos, of a system in decay, within Holosiy’s frantic strokes. The brown-gray tones feel…oppressive. Curator: Opressive, yet almost beautiful, no? You know, sometimes I wonder if these artists, working under duress, found liberation in the act of pure abstraction, like finally having something to truly own in the face of everpresent constraints. The painting as an outlet valve. Editor: Definitely liberating. Abstract art allows for a layering of meaning, resisting singular interpretations, which could have been a crucial form of protest at the time. But also I read his application of paint and splattering as almost violent; almost like the powers are not that gone. A reflection of a society struggling to emerge. Curator: Struggle is definitely a major key. And yes, the liberation comes maybe from even that struggle. Even with everything crumbling there are options: keep going or collapse under pressure? The very making of this, and making it abstract might have given them strength. What you make of the collapse can actually give you power and free will. Editor: It's a powerful example of how a work can embody historical anxiety, translating societal instability into pure feeling, really, a potent mix of acrylic and emotion. Curator: Absolutely, and it leaves me wondering about our current moment – what abstract expressionism is brewing today reflecting the modern societal temperature. I must leave the painting, but the painting definitely remains.