Untitled. Srawberry Andreevna 2019

This drawing by Alevtyna Kakhidze is made with what looks like felt tip on paper. It's direct, almost like a cartoon, but with some tragic real-life content. I imagine the artist working quickly, spontaneously, probably in one sitting. I imagine the artist hearing the story she depicts and being compelled to draw. The lines are confident, the two figures are sort of floating in place and they feel like they are coming to terms with a situation. The figure on the left is in a kind of holding pattern. It reminds me of the kind of raw, urgent expression you see in art brut, or maybe even political cartoons. It's not so much about the finesse of the technique as it is about communicating an urgent message. It's like a visual shout, a call for attention. And in that way, it's part of a long tradition of artists using their work to speak truth to power.