The Greatest Loss 1982

Oleksandr Aksinin created "The Greatest Loss" as a personal reflection on loss, and also as a comment on the constraints he experienced living in Soviet Ukraine. Notice how Aksinin uses red as the predominant color to create a feeling of tension. The symmetry, however, lends a feeling of balance to the work. Aksinin’s art was deeply influenced by his experiences with censorship and political repression. He was part of a generation of artists who sought to express their cultural identities within the narrow confines of Soviet ideology. He once said, "Art is a protest; art is a dream; art is a game." The poppy-like figures evoke the artist's cultural roots. Here, the motif also reads as a symbol of sleep and oblivion. Aksinin uses the image to explore themes of memory and cultural identity, and to engage with a sense of cultural dislocation. This piece is a powerful reflection on personal and collective memory. It also serves as a poignant reminder of the human spirit's capacity to endure and create.