Sketch for "Nika" 1963

This sketch of “Nika” was created by Hryhorii Havrylenko using what looks like simple black ink on paper. I imagine him, in 1965, quickly moving the pen across the page, deciding what to keep and what to omit, searching for the essence of form. There's something so gutsy about the cross-hatching on the figure's torso, the energy of the strokes capturing the light and shadow. The whole image feels like a study in progress, a moment in time. The gesture reminds me of Matisse and the way he used a simple line to convey shape and volume. It makes me think about how artists, through the ages, have grappled with the human form, each leaving their mark and finding new ways of seeing. It's all one big conversation, a continuous line connecting us through time. And in these humble sketches, we find a sense of intimacy and connection that transcends time and space.