Mykhailivske 1965

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this landscape, Mykhailivske, probably en plein air in the Soviet era. The way the washes of muted blues and greens create a sense of atmosphere reminds me of the emotional work of Agnes Martin. The surface has a beautiful texture, doesn't it? Look at how the parallel strokes give the impression of constant movement, like wind rippling across water. The horizon line, almost bisecting the composition, creates a subtle tension, a kind of visual hum. The paint application is thin and transparent, allowing the texture of the paper to peek through, adding to the work's delicate, ephemeral quality. Havrylenko's work shares the same spirit as Marsden Hartley, both artists using landscape to convey deeply personal and subjective experiences. These artists teach us that painting isn't just about representation; it's about feeling, about capturing a moment in time, and about sharing that experience with others.