Composition 1960

Editor: This is Valerii Lamakh’s "Composition" from 1960, rendered with striking impasto and acrylic paint. The intense colours and geometric forms create a world of organised chaos. What can you tell us about it? Curator: Considering the time period, the height of the Cold War, Lamakh's move towards abstraction takes on a quiet, but subversive tone. He worked in Soviet Ukraine, where socialist realism was the official style. How might this bold experimentation challenge the expected role of art in society at that time? Editor: So, the turn away from recognizable subject matter could have been a political statement in itself? A silent rebellion, maybe? Curator: Exactly! Though purely abstract, a work like this opens a space for individual interpretation and avoids direct propaganda. Think of the context; art was meant to uplift and unite under a shared ideological banner. "Composition", however, champions individual experience. The impasto technique creates a tactile, almost defiant surface. Editor: It’s interesting to see how something that appears simply "abstract" could carry so much weight culturally and politically. Curator: And consider where this might have been shown, if at all. What gatekeepers and institutions would have deemed this acceptable, or unacceptable? And how might these choices affect Lamakh's career and artistic path? Editor: That makes me think about all the unsaid implications behind every artwork. Thanks, this has provided a richer understanding of this painting. Curator: My pleasure! It is imperative to see these works as part of a larger network of power, influence and artistic freedom.