Abstract composition (Sketch for "Nika") 1963

This abstract sketch was made by Hryhorii Havrylenko, a study for a painting called Nika, probably using ink on paper. What’s striking is the dynamism of the marks: hatching, cross-hatching, long lines, short jabs, all swirling to suggest both movement and a sense of architectural space. The interplay of thick and thin lines creates a tactile surface, full of energy. Look at how the hatching varies in density. In some areas, the lines are close together, forming dark, solid shapes; elsewhere, they’re sparse, allowing the white of the paper to breathe through. This contrast creates a push and pull effect, making the image feel almost sculptural. It reminds me a little bit of Franz Kline, though perhaps less monumental, and more intimate, like a fleeting thought captured on paper. It is these kinds of images that invite us to complete their forms, and it is in this act of subjective interpretation that their true power lies.