Purple Alternative 1989

Curator: "Purple Alternative" by Oleg Holosiy, made in 1989. An interesting first impression, wouldn't you agree? Editor: My initial sense is unease, stemming from the skewed perspective and almost ghostly figures. Are they emerging from, or sinking into, this textured ground? Curator: Let’s begin by considering the tangible aspects. Holosiy used both oil and acrylic paints on canvas, layering these materials to build up a rich, albeit distressed, surface. This combination of media allows for a contrasting materiality that suggests urgency of the labor process and its impact of Ukrainian production conditions, circa 1989. Editor: Yes, the rough, almost unfinished texture certainly contributes to that feeling. And I find the symbolism of the figures themselves intriguing. One appears inverted, almost crucified, while the other stands upright, yet equally vulnerable. The bright yellow of that central figure seems intentionally unsettling, clashing with the darker, muddied blues. What do you make of this symbolic juxtaposition? Curator: Perhaps it speaks to a duality, a tension between the visible and the unseen, a sort of binary logic that suggests not a linear cause-and-effect process of production, but a fractured series of tasks and materials that comprise making. The Post-Impressionist brushwork here could mirror post-industrial processes too, of sorts. Editor: I can see that. And the rod or scepter between the figures, like a fractured spine, might suggest broken power structures or disrupted hierarchies within that system of material-making and exchange. It certainly emphasizes that this is not some ideal process of creativity at play here! Curator: Exactly! This layering is evident, and how Holosiy builds it into abstraction seems vital here. To consider Holosiy's methods against the larger economic shift that impacted Ukranian art creation practices and studio material availabilities opens the doorway to what such artwork would embody. Editor: Overall, I find "Purple Alternative" a challenging, but ultimately rewarding piece. Curator: Indeed, by understanding the context of the artist's process, Holosiy reveals so much that stays concealed otherwise.