Cossak Mamay 1960

Alla Horska made this painting, Cossak Mamay, with bold strokes and a striking color palette. It’s almost like watching a scene emerge from a dream—a vivid, raw, and intensely felt moment. I can just imagine Alla Horska standing before the canvas, brush in hand, wrestling with the image. The paint looks thick, lush, and laid down with conviction. The black lines create a wonderful tension against the saturated oranges, reds and greens. Look at the face of the Cossak—it's all there in the downward glance and set of the mouth, a deep, resonant emotion conveyed through just a few simple marks. The image feels carved, raw, and urgent, like she had something she needed to say right away. It is like so many paintings, part of a much larger conversation, stretching back centuries. We make our marks, and keep the conversation flowing.