If there is no Water in the Tap. Shevchenko 2011

Editor: So, here we have Alexander Roitburd’s "If there is no Water in the Tap. Shevchenko" from 2011, made with oil paint. The expression on the subject's face is so intense! How do you interpret this work? Curator: It’s a striking portrait, isn’t it? Roitburd, in this work, seems to be playing with the idea of national identity and the historical figure. Think about Shevchenko's role as a Ukrainian national poet and the impact of his words during periods of political upheaval. What does this modern re-imagining suggest about contemporary Ukrainian identity, particularly in 2011, before the Euromaidan Revolution? Editor: I hadn’t considered it in that political light, more just a character study. The furrowed brow, the severe gaze—it all felt very personal. Curator: Indeed, but the personal is always political, isn't it? Consider the power of portraiture as a tool for constructing narratives around individuals and, by extension, communities. Roitburd may be inviting us to reflect on how historical figures are used, or even manipulated, within the socio-political landscape. What do you think about the realism style when interpreting that purpose? Editor: It’s interesting to consider. Perhaps it grounds the idealized historical figure into something more relatable, more human. But there's something also deliberately archaic here. Is that his commentary? Curator: Precisely! The slight anachronisms invite this reflection, questioning our modern needs, and considering the role Shevchenko may still play. Does his symbolic book offer a message or commentary from the past, reframed for the future? What does the "Water in the Tap" add? Editor: That really shifted my thinking! I was focused on the face and the artistry, and I hadn't grasped the cultural commentary as deeply. Thanks. Curator: And I appreciate you pointing out the sheer intensity of the expression—a key starting point for this historical interpretation.