Untitled 2022

Editor: Here we have Alevtyna Kakhidze's "Untitled," created in 2022 using mixed media including pen, ink, and acrylic paint. There's a clear narrative unfolding, but it's delivered with such starkness. It's… unsettling. How do you interpret this work, especially given the text integrated within the image? Curator: This piece operates powerfully within the realm of political commentary. The inscription “This war is Putin’s war” immediately contextualizes it within the geopolitical crisis of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Kakhidze, being Ukrainian, uses her art as a form of public address. How does her style—almost like a quickly-rendered political cartoon—affect your perception of the message? Editor: It makes it feel immediate, raw even. The childlike simplicity contrasts sharply with the heavy subject matter. Curator: Exactly. And consider the figures—the depiction of what appears to be Scholz, along with other characters surrounded by animals and textual anxieties, paints a picture of helplessness. The question then becomes: is this helplessness directed towards Western political figures, the Russian people themselves, or perhaps even towards a sense of societal breakdown? How might its reception within a gallery space versus online differ? Editor: That's a crucial point. Seeing this shared online might foster immediate empathy and outrage, whereas in a gallery, it invites more contemplative analysis of the socio-political forces at play. It pushes the viewer to think about the artist's intended audience and impact. Curator: Precisely. By understanding art as a public declaration, we appreciate Kakhidze's use of imagery not merely as representation, but as a potent form of resistance and social dialogue. Editor: It’s fascinating to consider art’s role in shaping public discourse, especially in times of conflict. I’ll definitely look at art with text differently from now on.