Russian Tales 1916

Editor: This is Mikhail Larionov’s “Russian Tales,” made around 1916 with gouache. It strikes me as a fascinating blend of abstraction and figuration. There's a real push and pull between recognizable elements and pure geometric forms. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: What I find particularly evocative are the ways Larionov pulls from the wellspring of cultural memory. The stylized figures, the vibrant palette... It suggests a conscious connection to folk art traditions, to those deeply rooted stories and archetypes that resonate within the collective psyche. Do you see how he uses the simplified forms, almost like icons, to convey deeper meaning? Editor: I do, especially with the... figures that almost look like birds surrounding the flute player in the centre? Is that what gives the image its "Russianness?" Curator: Partly, yes, it's in those echoes of traditional crafts and the recurring motifs found in Russian folklore. But consider also the use of light – the way it seems to emanate from within, casting a mystical glow on the scene. This is very reminiscent of the ethereal light used in religious icon paintings. Doesn’t this bring a particular cultural and spiritual depth to the work? Editor: It does. Now I can see the link between this almost 'avant-garde' abstraction and traditional forms. It's not just about the shapes, but the stories they whisper. Curator: Precisely. The images, though fragmented, evoke that primal connection with ancestral narratives, continually reinterpreted across time. It highlights how deeply ingrained these visual symbols are within a culture. Editor: I never considered how abstraction could still hold so much cultural baggage, still feel connected to such specific narratives. Thank you. Curator: And thank you. Exploring these visual palimpsests helps us appreciate how artists continuously reshape cultural identities and traditions.