Untitled 2022

Curator: Wow, this just hits you right in the gut, doesn’t it? Visually arresting… a bit unsettling, almost. Editor: Indeed. Here we have Alevtyna Kakhidze's "Untitled" piece from 2022, rendered with ink, pen, and textile as the base. At first glance, it’s an explosion of text, a torrent of thoughts. Curator: An explosion is right. It's dominated by the name 'Putin', which then branches out, almost like a distorted family tree—or a rather dysfunctional organizational chart. I like how Kakhidze mixes print with a flowing cursive... almost a scream mixed with careful planning, perhaps. Editor: Semiotically speaking, the varied colours layered within the text denote a multitude of complex meanings behind the single word Putin, layering additional depth through shifts in hue and tone. The formal layout creates both discord and unity with Putin at its center—it has undeniable symbolic force, speaking volumes about identity, power, and accountability in the current conflict. Curator: Yes! There's something terribly human about the imperfection, you know? Like a hastily written protest sign, filled with emotion and urgency. That handmade quality clashes with the enormity of the subject matter, and for me this raises difficult thoughts about how everyday people are impacted by huge political figures. It makes it almost painfully relatable. Editor: The social-realist style here makes it an intimate observation of society. What elevates it is its immediacy and transparency, it’s like looking directly into the artist's urgent consciousness in the present tense. We get a visceral experience of processing this moment. Curator: Looking at this makes me feel very self-aware… like I, too, am implicated in what's being depicted, both on a local and global scale. How incredibly powerful to conjure all that through seemingly "just" text. Editor: A truly insightful work. The rawness and directness are remarkably effective, allowing a complex reading within a limited framework. It offers no easy answers, simply presenting layers of stark associations.