Landscape 1970

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this painting, Landscape, with oil paint, and I love how grounded it feels. It’s not trying to be flashy, it’s just there, like a tree. The texture of the paint is really something – you can see the strokes, how he’s built up the image with these chunky marks. It's like he’s not trying to hide anything, laying down these rectangles of color. The green is so vibrant, but there are also these muddy, earthy tones that keep it real. Look at that dark, almost black area at the bottom of the tree. It’s not just a shadow, it’s a void, a mystery. It makes you wonder what’s hidden beneath the surface, what’s holding this whole thing together. I am reminded of Milton Avery, who managed to achieve complete flatness while still creating an image. The painting feels like a conversation between flatness and depth. It invites you to slow down, to really see.