Four Abstract Compositions (Sketches) 1964

Hryhorii Havrylenko’s pencil drawing presents four studies in abstract composition from 1964. Dominating these studies are L-shaped forms, stark in their geometric simplicity, and their arrangement in orthogonal grids. The L shape, seemingly simple, echoes through art history. One sees echoes of classical architecture and the foundations upon which they are built. In the context of Havrylenko's work, created in a time of Soviet oppression, these L shapes might be interpreted as fragments of a broken whole, or foundations upon which an alternative world can be built. Consider how these shapes evoke a sense of enclosure, of shelter – yet also, of potential confinement. It's as though these L's are psychic remnants of a collective history and the subconscious feelings it evokes. The cyclical progression of this symbol resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings across historical contexts.