Untitled 2022

Curator: It’s interesting how Alevtyna Kakhidze's “Untitled,” made in 2022 using ink on paper, uses such simple materials to address complex sociopolitical issues. It makes me think about the cost of art supplies and their availability depending on geographic location and conflict. What strikes you first about this drawing? Editor: Well, immediately, I'm struck by how the text interacts with the image, creating a very personal, almost diary-like feel. How do you see the artist using these simple materials – ink and paper – to convey such a heavy message about the war? Curator: The apparent simplicity is deceptive. Consider the labor involved: each word, each line painstakingly drawn, each decision on the composition reflects a conscious act of resistance through creation. How does the choice of seemingly disposable materials – paper and ink – contribute to the artwork’s impact when the drawing’s central themes involve loss, relocation, and potentially dispossession? Editor: That’s a good point, because the rough, almost urgent quality of the lines emphasizes a sense of immediacy. It’s as if the artist is recording thoughts in real-time. But, by the appearance of things, does that elevate it beyond the medium with which it was created? Curator: I think so, by examining this "diary-like feel," which becomes a method for documenting the personal impacts of political turmoil. It also forces us to reconsider what materials are at hand for those living through a war. Do we judge this artwork by fine art standards, or does the urgency to create something with the immediate materials change our perception? Editor: It’s really made me consider art’s role as a form of documentation. Seeing the impact of material constraints really highlights how art can arise from limited resources, and still make a powerful statement. Curator: Exactly! I think recognizing that art is always connected to labor, production, and accessibility challenges these high and low art binaries.