Self Portrait 

Vasyl Kasiyan made this self-portrait using woodcut. He was a Ukrainian artist working primarily in the graphic arts. When Kasiyan produced this image, woodcut was a favored medium of Soviet art, due to its simple bold style and ease of reproduction and distribution. It could be used in books, posters, and newspapers. It is tempting to think that Kasiyan was simply following Soviet convention in his choice of medium, but he became head of the Kyiv Art Institute. What does it mean to head an art institution? One could interpret this self-portrait as a statement of institutional authority. To understand the significance of Kasiyan's career, one must consult primary sources from the period. It is only through understanding the historical context that we can begin to understand his work.