Information about the work
The core subject of the canvas Fields No. 3 [Polya No. 3] (canvas, oil, 1993–1994, gifted to the Khmelnytskyi Regional Art Museum collection by the author in 1997) is the color gray. Applied in horizontal strokes, it creates soft gradations and barely noticeable transitions from richer to lighter bands. This section feels serene, frozen, and motionless. A dark horizontal line divides the canvas into two parts. In the lower section, relief layers of paint interspersed with black are applied not only horizontally, but in various directions. This disrupts the monotonous rhythm of the upper section, adding a subtle dynamic to the composition and creating a sense that something is occurring or about to happen—the space is filled with hidden life. Indeed, a hint of a landscape motif is embedded in the title by the author himself: one envisions empty winter fields, dormant in anticipation of spring.
Only an artist can discern in everyday occurrences what others might overlook entirely. “Everything appears on its own. For instance, once I needed to repair a damaged canvas; I patched it with gauze, began painting over it, and additional textures emerged, pulling volumes along with them… Or I was repairing something in my studio, picked up a piece of wood, and started carving a relief from it… Life guides you in the right direction, providing hints—you only need to notice and use them… I am not discovering anything new at all; the material is secondary, and one can work with anything—paint, charcoal, or even shoe polish…”
Canvas, oil. 120 × 135