Illustration to Daniil Kharms' book "Fairy Tale" 1971

Curator: Editor: So, this is Hryhorii Havrylenko’s "Illustration to Daniil Kharms' book "Fairy Tale"" from 1971, created with graphic art techniques. It's…unsettling, in a childish way. A bright, almost whimsical scene disrupted by something absurd. What do you see in this piece beyond the apparent chaos? Curator: The "chaos," as you call it, is precisely the point! Consider Kharms' writing: absurdist, anti-establishment, deeply critical of Soviet power through nonsensical narratives. This illustration, then, isn't merely decorative; it's a visual echo of that dissent. Note the toppling figure by the lamp post. Is that a subtle critique of authority? The ordered world, represented by the geometric shapes and simplified figures, upended. Editor: I see what you mean! The man falling could definitely be a symbol. But, why the fairytale style? Why illustrate a critique in such a seemingly innocent form? Curator: Precisely! Think about who the audience was – ostensibly, children. But within this 'children's book', Havrylenko smuggles in commentary on the very real absurdities and oppressions of the time. Is the woman waving, oblivious to the chaos, a symbol for willful ignorance? Or enforced optimism? The juxtaposition is powerful. Does this prompt you to rethink your initial reaction of "unsettling childishness"? Editor: Definitely. I was too quick to judge it on face value. Now, the bright colors and simple shapes seem more like a calculated strategy, a way to disarm the censors while planting seeds of doubt in the minds of young readers. Curator: And that subversion, that quiet rebellion encoded within the frame, makes this piece resonate even today, doesn't it? We see how art becomes a vehicle for resistance, a tool for shaping critical consciousness, even within the most restrictive regimes. Editor: It really does. It’s amazing how much can be read into what seems like such a simple image at first glance. I’ll never look at children’s illustrations the same way!