Untitled II, From the Series 'Altar of My Dream' 2020

Editor: Today we're looking at Kateryna Lysovenko's "Untitled II, From the Series 'Altar of My Dream'," painted in 2020. The piece uses oils and acrylics. I'm really struck by its sort of dreamlike quality, that vibrant blue backdrop... Almost theatrical, wouldn’t you say? How do you interpret this work, especially with those figures both central and off to the side? Curator: It's like stepping into a half-remembered myth, isn't it? That blue pulls you under like a midnight swim. Lysovenko's palette choices do evoke theatricality. For me, the power lies in that tension – the awkward yet confident central figure and the more passive cluster of nudes. Think of early expressionism or even Gauguin's Tahiti paintings but filtered through a contemporary, Ukrainian lens. How do you feel the positioning of figures affects the dynamic, let’s say morally? Editor: Hmm, morally? I suppose the one figure almost on display while the others aren't is almost vulnerable or confrontational; however the work overall feels very internal or, I guess, more of a reflection? Curator: Exactly. Now, is this Eden before or after the apple? It's playing with our ideas about vulnerability and performance, don’t you think? The altar of one's dream. This painting feels like a question mark etched in pigment. Editor: It really does put our initial reactions to the test... I was stuck on the superficial theatrical mood, but actually, there’s some deep psychological territory here, like wading through layers of an internal life. Curator: And that’s the beauty of it all, isn't it? These paintings are Rorschach blots painted with both abandon and sharp intention, waiting for each of us to finish the story.