Abstract Composition 1970

Editor: This is "Abstract Composition" from 1970, made by Hryhorii Havrylenko using ink on paper. There's a striking repetition of squared forms here, almost like variations on a theme. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Well, I find myself drawn to the deliberate limitations the artist seems to have set. Consider the paper itself – its texture, its absorbency. And then the ink, readily available, a common tool. This work is a direct result of a conscious material choice. Editor: Interesting. I was so focused on the geometry, I didn't really consider the physical properties. Curator: Precisely. Look at the different weights of the lines, achieved perhaps by varying pressure or ink saturation. These aren't just geometric forms; they are physical impressions made by a hand guided by specific intent, using inexpensive material and a limited color palette. The artist’s labor is evident, immediate. It reminds me of folk art traditions. Editor: How so? Curator: Because the materials available may shape and limit expression, creating distinct aesthetic practices based on materiality. Think of traditional weaving; a vocabulary develops from repeated manual gesture and readily-available resources. Here, these forms—however abstract—carry a trace of utilitarian resourcefulness. Editor: So, you see this not just as an abstract composition, but as an exploration of process and the constraints of the medium? Curator: Absolutely. It compels us to consider the relationship between artistic expression, material limitations, and available resources. How might similar ideas of form, labor, and production be expressed in the broader cultural context of the 1970s? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way at all. Now I’m seeing how the very limitations Havrylenko embraces become part of the work's strength. Curator: Indeed, its 'hand-drawn' quality feels both intimate and deliberate, an act against the highly manufactured sleek surfaces being favored at that time.