Chernobyl Madonna 1980

Vudon Baklytsky's *Chernobyl Madonna* is a painting of an unknown date that's really about shapes, colors, and what they make you feel. The blue is dominant, but it's not a happy blue, more of a somber, thoughtful kind. Look closely, and you'll see how the blue and red paint is applied, not too thick, but just enough to let the canvas texture peek through. It's like the painting is breathing. It's interesting how Baklytsky balances the geometric with the organic, the red lines versus the curving shapes to the left. It makes you think about vulnerability, but also resilience. I'm reminded of work by artists such as Marsden Hartley, with a similar commitment to the emotional charge of colour. With the *Chernobyl Madonna*, we are dealing with questions, rather than answers.