Exlibris of Mariyka Schur 1981

This is Oleksandr Aksinin's Exlibris of Mariyka Schur, an etching from 1981. It's all about lines, isn't it? Delicate, precise, like a cartographer mapping an unknown world. Aksinin was a master of detail, look at the way he builds up tone with these tiny, intricate marks. The cage-like form in the center reminds me of a surrealist object, something you might find in a dream. There's a real tension between the precision of the lines and the strangeness of the image. The dark, inky spots add to the mystery, like shadows or portals to another dimension. I'm reminded a bit of Piranesi, but with a more personal, intimate feel. Aksinin invites us to get lost in the details, to find our own meanings in the maze of lines. It's a testament to the power of art to create new ways of seeing, new ways of thinking.