Untitled 1964

Curator: This work, titled "Untitled," was painted by Hryhorii Havrylenko in 1964. The piece, rendered in oil, is currently held in a private collection. It is quite a captivating example of modern portraiture. Editor: It's the eyes that immediately grab me—those intensely blue orbs set against the otherwise muted palette create such a haunting gaze. What’s your first impression? Curator: Yes, I find myself drawn into their depths. But it's more than just the colour; it's the simplification of form. See how the artist reduces the face to near-geometric shapes, harkening back to earlier icons, where certain stylized features, especially the eyes, held symbolic weight. It carries echoes of Byzantine portraiture for me. Editor: I can see that, but to me, the simplification reads as an act of defamiliarization, challenging traditional notions of portraiture which typically reinforce power and status. It's as though the subject is deliberately distanced, becoming almost allegorical. And the title - "Untitled" - is crucial. By not giving a clear indication of the subject, Havrylenko opens it up for diverse interpretation. The subject could stand for a community or a concept, not a specific person. Curator: Precisely. That is where Havrylenko plays with the tradition of iconography, removing religious intent to explore a different type of emotional or even archetypal representation, almost universal. The blue may connect to particular cultural memory, the association with royalty or spirituality is widespread. Editor: Or perhaps, subverts those readings, giving agency to the viewer to make their own interpretation? In my reading, the slightly olive or yellow shade across the figure can hint towards race and difference as it stands today. Curator: Absolutely, and I see the dialogue emerging through this very work. While there may not have been a definite meaning during its creation, the image, through its simple forms, now bears an infinite number of possible stories. Editor: Right. "Untitled" refuses to be contained. It insists on evolving with the viewers and their social moment. Curator: A simple face holding complexity beyond years and ideologies, indeed. Editor: And ultimately questioning what "portraiture" even means for us. A fitting question as we bring our own time in the gallery to a close!