Exlibris S. Eidrigevičius 1980

Editor: Here we have Oleksandr Aksinin's 1980 ink drawing, "Exlibris S. Eidrigevi\u010dius". It looks incredibly intricate, almost like something you'd find in a fantastical biology textbook, or perhaps an illustration for a dark fairytale. What is your initial reaction? Curator: It’s a strange beast, isn't it? Simultaneously alien and deeply human. For me, the real magic lies in the tension between the meticulous detail and the overall absurdity of the figure. I keep coming back to what it evokes. It’s not just an image; it’s a tiny echo chamber of anxieties and desires, wouldn’t you agree? What stories does it whisper to you? Editor: Well, it makes me think about how we try to contain and classify things. The figure is presented as an object, even trapped almost like a specimen. But the drawing itself defies easy categorization. It’s unsettling but in a fascinating way. Curator: Precisely! Aksinin plays with those boundaries. Is it a portrait? A caricature? A symbol? Perhaps all three mashed together with a pinch of dark humor. And that obsessive line work…it’s almost meditative, isn't it? You find yourself getting lost in its texture, like a visual mantra. Editor: Definitely, the details create a sort of hypnotic effect. I was struck by how different elements appear both organic and geometric at the same time. Curator: It’s in the way Aksinin juxtaposes seemingly incompatible elements that we find something really quite special. It makes me think of folk tales meeting cold, hard machinery. What a marvelous blend of wonder and, let's face it, slight discomfort. Editor: I didn't expect to find this level of complexity and creativity. Now that I know about Aksinin, I feel like I want to explore similar pieces from that period. Curator: Excellent! That’s the great gift of art. It always teaches us to see, to question, to seek.