Information about the work
At Dawn [Vdosvita] (canvas, tempera, 1993; acquired for the Sumy Regional Art Museum collection in 1995 as a gift from the author) is a decorative, planary rendered, stylized multicolored composition. At its center lies a black horse with white wings—Pegasus. Seated atop is a schematic human figure with a bowed head; to the right are “stairs.” The upper corners are dark greenish-blue, while the lower left section is yellow, partitioned into squares. This composition is a clear example of modernist and avant-garde thinking with traces of Cubism and Futurism, where a mythological subject is captured through geometrized forms and symbols. Objects are generalized into simple geometric shapes: triangles, arcs, and planes.
The structure of the painting is dynamic and multilayered, with overlapping elements. Rhythm is established through the alternation of curved and straight lines, as well as large and small planes. A central role is played by a vertical light construction (resembling an architectural structure) that organizes the composition and establishes an axis of balance. Diagonals and curved lines create internal movement and tension. The black horse, Pegasus, adds symbolic depth at the bottom. Its wings are rendered in smooth, gentle lines that contrast with the angular architectonics of the background. Their white color, which builds volume and rhythm, symbolizes purity, spirituality, elevation, and light, contrasting with the dark torso of the animal. The color palette is rich, combining cool blue and green tones with warm ocher, yellow, and brown. The lighting is symbolic and devoid of a fixed source; the central architectural form appears to radiate light from within.
The black horse with white wings, set within a geometrized environment, can be interpreted as a juxtaposition of the living and the mechanical, of nature and civilization. Architectural motifs suggest an urban space and a human dialogue with a new technological world, where the viewer decodes the narrative independently. The work is perceived as symbolic and enigmatic, leaning toward modernist trends through its combination of Cubist elements and Futurist dynamics. Rather than depicting a concrete story, it explores the rhythm of form and color and the interaction of objects within a unified artistic space. The author interprets traditional myth in a contemporary key, creating a generalized image of Pegasus as the patron of artists and poets who reached Mount Olympus as an assistant to Zeus.