Daphne 1989

Vasiliy Ryabchenko's Daphne is a large canvas of bold brushstrokes awash with earthy reds and whites. The act of painting feels palpable here; the image seems to have emerged from a dance between intention and chance. I imagine Ryabchenko standing before the canvas, armed with brushes and a palette knife, wrestling with form and feeling. Look how the white paint is applied so thickly in places, almost sculptural, while elsewhere, the red bleeds through in thin washes. I love that the paint has texture, a kind of energy. The dark lines dance around the figure, suggesting a sense of movement. It’s like he's channeling something, some kind of life force or emotional energy. You can see echoes of artists like de Kooning in his raw, gestural style. Ultimately, painting is a conversation across time, and Ryabchenko adds his own distinctive voice, embracing ambiguity, leaving room for us to bring our own interpretations to the canvas.