Still Life in Cross! 1993

Dmytro Kavsan created this painting, “Still Life in Cross!”, using oils in a style that feels both composed and chaotic. The painting is a grid, but each square contains a fragment of a still life, like glimpses through a fractured window. The paint is applied thickly in some areas, especially within the still life fragments, creating a rich texture, and thinly in others, like the teal grid that crosses the painting. See how the teal itself isn't a consistent colour, but has other shades bleeding into it, such as lavender, and white, emphasizing the process, the hand of the artist. The overall effect is disorienting and intriguing, and reminds me of Morandi. But while Morandi used a limited colour palette to create harmony, Kavsan seems to embrace the dissonance, allowing the conflicting perspectives to create a new kind of visual experience. It's less about seeing the still life, and more about feeling the act of seeing itself.