Composition 1963

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this untitled composition with paint, and I see it as a record of movement. The brushstrokes, thick and bold, are like a dance across the surface. There's an immediacy to the application, a kind of joyful abandon. Look at how the blues and yellows bump up against the reds and blacks; each stroke feels like a decision, a response to the one before it. The colors aren't blended so much as layered, creating a texture that's both rough and inviting. It's like Havrylenko is saying, "Here's the world, take it all in at once." It reminds me a bit of Joan Mitchell's energetic abstractions, that same willingness to let the paint lead the way. And just as with Mitchell, the lack of clearly defined forms doesn't feel like a loss, but an invitation to find your own way through the composition. It’s a celebration of the messy, unpredictable nature of art, and of life itself.