Exlibris of T.Bilinsky 1978

Oleksandr Aksinin made this etching, Exlibris of T.Bilinsky, in 1978. The first thing I notice is the way Aksinin constructs space with meticulous cross-hatching, like tiny, repetitive brushstrokes that build up tone and volume. It’s almost meditative, this process. Looking closely, you see a world where geometric forms become surreal architecture. The cube within a cube suggests infinite regression, or perhaps a set of Russian dolls. The details—tiny staircases leading to nowhere, or those waterfall like elements at the top—add to the dreamlike quality. I can almost feel the texture of the paper, the delicate lines etched into its surface. It’s like a micro-universe, painstakingly rendered. Aksinin’s work reminds me of M.C. Escher, but with a darker, more personal twist. Both artists play with perspective and illusion, but Aksinin’s touch feels more human, more handmade. His art invites us to question what we see, and to embrace the beautiful ambiguity of perception.