Those Who Eat Crabs. Part of the Diptych 1992

Curator: So, here we have Dmytro Kavsan’s “Those Who Eat Crabs. Part of the Diptych” from 1992. It’s a mixed-media piece, using acrylic and, I believe, watercolor. Quite evocative, wouldn't you say? Editor: Woah, immediately I get this sense of disorientation… Like I’ve walked into someone’s half-formed dream. Those staircase motifs and fragmented figures give it an ethereal vibe, don’t you think? Curator: Absolutely. And in the context of postmodernism, this disruption is intentional. It reflects a questioning of established structures and narratives, a kind of deconstruction of reality as we understand it. Kavsan is challenging the very notion of a singular, fixed perspective. Editor: A perspective. I can relate to this artist's approach. Check out how that strip of graduated colors just floats above the scene, almost detached. Like… an elusive idea that might or might not inform it all? It also makes me ponder on temporality, what elements shape, mold, influence a lifetime perspective? Curator: I see what you mean! The color gradients might reflect a kind of societal ideal superimposed over reality, dictating certain perspectives and repressing others. The figures huddled beneath seem burdened by something unseen. Editor: Yeah, and that burst of frantic scribbles above one figure's head - total mental overload! Someone’s cooking crabs over there I think! Seriously, look to me someone trying to climb up the status quo stair of life is being forced down, probably burnt… Who are "those who eat crabs"...? A lot going through my head to unpack from a quick look. Curator: Precisely! Kavsan’s symbolism can be read in many ways – that staircase you’ve noticed may be ascent or descent, the figures both present and absent. And the obscured figures seem to suggest the weight of unseen forces. Editor: Kavsan, through a mixed media approach, opens doors to reflect and discuss very particular perspectives. I love how artists can ignite discussions in the most surreal ways. This piece will live rent free in my brain. Curator: Exactly. It allows us to challenge dominant narratives and consider how these might impact identity. That's exactly the key for me here, that critical and personal lens this artwork makes me reconsider again.