Composition (abstract) 1962

Curator: We’re looking at “Composition (abstract)” a 1962 work by Hryhorii Havrylenko, a piece rendered with acrylic paint, currently held in a private collection. Editor: My first impression is the bold contrast of the red form against the muted, almost pastel backdrop. The geometric shapes give it a dynamic, energetic feel. Curator: Indeed. Considering the date, 1962, Havrylenko was likely engaging with the abstract expressionist movement, but perhaps filtering it through a distinctly Ukrainian lens during the Soviet era. How might the sociopolitical climate have informed such an exploration of pure form, divorced from representational content? Editor: The interplay of forms—the sharp angles against the curves—suggests a deliberate compositional strategy. I find myself analyzing how each shape balances against the others. The color palette, while restricted, offers a richness that holds the viewers gaze. Curator: To understand the impact of abstraction, we might also reflect on its potential as a visual language of resistance, offering artists a way to critique dominant ideologies while seeming only to explore formal concerns. Havrylenko’s abstraction sidesteps direct commentary, becoming subversive by being purely, visually assertive. Editor: I agree. There’s an undeniable tension between the rigid geometric structure and the more organic quality of the painted surface. The brushstrokes remain visible, a tactile reminder of the artist’s hand and it leads one to ask what Havrylenko intended. Curator: He could have been hinting at both the constricting forces of a totalitarian regime, while simultaneously conveying the possibility of individual expression. It also makes me wonder about what and who influenced him. Editor: Examining the structure alone, this could also represent pure composition, exploring formal relationships and aesthetic balance, a space that might be completely detached from the political realities. There is no explicit narrative to limit it, thus one could find themselves wandering with Havrylenko. Curator: Perhaps in Havrylenko’s “Composition (abstract)” the two readings intersect. Editor: Regardless, the way Havrylenko manipulated color and space is worthy of attention and speaks to how it defies the era of its time.