French 1985

Curator: The print titled "French" by Oleksandr Aksinin, made in 1985, is quite striking. It seems to depict figures intertwined in an intimate manner. The dark reddish-brown tones against the lighter figures create an almost dreamlike quality. Editor: It does have a visceral, immediately unsettling effect. The stark lines and textures remind me of anatomical drawings from centuries ago, but imbued with this intensely personal, almost claustrophobic feel. Tell me about Aksinin’s choice of printmaking here. Curator: Aksinin worked extensively with printmaking, particularly etching. The detailed, almost obsessive linework suggests a deliberate choice. The tactile nature of etching allowed him to explore the relationship between surface, line, and the body. He challenged Soviet-era art norms, creating spaces for open erotic and sometimes disturbing figurations that engaged with sexuality. Editor: How was erotic art received in that socio-political context? This print feels subtly rebellious. Curator: Absolutely. Soviet culture, at least officially, suppressed open sexuality and bodily autonomy. Aksinin's work, circulated through underground networks, was therefore an act of defiance. Art institutions were slow to embrace this, even after the fall of the USSR. The materials themselves become imbued with that tension, that resistance. What might look merely aesthetic to some now carried the weight of banned ideas and repressed desires. Editor: It’s fascinating to consider how Aksinin navigates censorship. Is the printing technique used significant in light of material access at the time? Was it easier, say, than acquiring paints or sculptures? Curator: That's astute. Printmaking did offer a degree of accessibility that sculpture didn't. Moreover, it enabled distribution; prints could be discreetly shared and sold, bypassing formal channels of the official art world. So, both technically and conceptually, the medium suited his artistic agenda. Editor: And that history, the labor and logistics behind even creating this print and getting it into circulation is as much a part of its power as the figuration depicted. Curator: Precisely. And considering it within Aksinin's entire artistic output gives the single etching, like “French,” greater resonance. Editor: I'm leaving with a completely new understanding. Thanks for illuminating the social and material layers of this compelling piece. Curator: My pleasure. Thinking about the historical backdrop makes the imagery more palpable and significant.