Triptych 'White Sail' by Hryhorii Havrylenko

1975

Triptych 'White Sail'

Hryhorii Havrylenko's Profile Picture

Hryhorii Havrylenko

1927 - 1984

Location

Sumy Museum of Fine Arts, Sumy, Ukraine

Listen to curator's interpretation

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Curatorial notes

This triptych, 'White Sail', by Hryhorii Havrylenko uses shapes and muted colours to create a landscape that feels both familiar and dreamlike. The way he stacks these hazy blues, greens, and whites reminds me of Gerhard Richter's seascapes, but with a folk-art edge. Up close, you can see the paint isn't trying to trick you; it's thin, almost like watercolour, letting the surface breathe. There's this one white shape, repeated across the panels, that suggests a sail, but also just a slash of light. That shape becomes a key, unlocking the composition, making everything else click into place. What strikes me most is how Havrylenko makes something so simple feel so vast. Like Agnes Martin, he uses abstraction to evoke feelings that are both universal and deeply personal. It's not just about seeing; it's about feeling the quiet hum of the world.