Landscape. Stebliv (?) 1956

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this landscape drawing, possibly of Stebliv, with ink on paper. Look at the confidence of the line. It's kind of amazing how a few marks can conjure a whole world. The wiry lines in the foreground scribble together to make bushes, a chaotic but lively mark-making. Then there's the cool restraint of the clouds, just floating up there, detached. It’s a study in contrasts, and that contrast is what gives it life. This piece reminds me of Guston’s late ink drawings, both show a similar sensibility. But unlike Guston, Havrylenko’s drawing feels less like a departure and more like a returning to something essential. It's like he's saying, "Here's what I see, here's what I feel, take it or leave it." And honestly, I’m taking it. This is the kind of art that stays with you.