Information about the work
Mykhailo Krasnyk’s artwork Untitled [Bez nazvy] (canvas, oil, 1991, acquired for the Khmelnytskyi Regional Art Museum collection from the author in 1992) is a vivid demonstration of how imagination—multiplied by painterly culture, knowledge of art history, and a masterful combination of various archaic symbols, signs, multi-formatted spots, simple geometric elements, or merely a few expressive, dynamic lines and strokes—gives birth to compositions that transport the viewer to ancient times, encouraging reflection, contemplation, and meditation. They immerse us in a millennia-old past, back to the primordial sources of fine art—mysterious Paleolithic cave paintings or petroglyphs. To the childhood of humanity or your own childhood—the choice is yours. After all, abstract art is one of the most democratic movements regarding interpretation by the viewer. Thus, it is by no means necessary to search for concrete images and meanings—it is enough to enter into a visual dialogue with the work.
Mykhailo Krasnyk: “My grandmother embroidered, as all older people in the village do—towels (rushnyky). But I could never grasp how she did it: she would start sewing from a corner, sewing and sewing, covering the entire surface. She stitched in cross-stitch and somehow laid thread upon thread, and then trimmed it, creating intriguing nuances. Once, I came home from work, sitting on the sofa, resting—there was no TV—looking at the wall, and there hung a piece of canvas, completely stitched with some diamond patterns, so full of color… And I felt it pulling me inside, that I was already there. I was so captivated—how cool it was! And then I thought—wait! What’s so cool about it? There’s nothing there, no image, no bird, no tree… There is only color. And right then I realized that you can paint something that won’t be a concrete image, but it will still be fascinating.”
Oil on canvas. 129,5 × 87,5
