Gardens of Sorrows 2022

Kateryna Lysovenko made this monochromatic piece on paper. The image is raw, immediate, and vulnerable. It is all about process. I'm drawn to the thin washes of color, the way the watery medium allows the artist to build up layers, creating depth and mood. You can see the hand of the artist at work in the deliberate, yet tentative, strokes of the brush, building the forms of two figures in a forest setting. The colour palette is a somber one, dominated by grays and browns. It feels like the work has emerged from a place of introspection. Look at the way the ink bleeds and spreads, creating soft, blurry edges. This adds to the dreamlike quality of the piece. The lack of detail only enhances the emotional impact. It reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker's stark depictions of motherhood. Like her, Lysovenko seems to be speaking to the complexities of life through simple, yet powerful imagery. This is a painting that invites you to bring your own feelings and experiences to the viewing, allowing for an ongoing dialogue with the artwork.