40. Challenge - 8: It is Actually About Me!

It is not obvious what unifies these drawings, why they are all in one post. One simple reason is that they were all sent to me within a few weeks, although some were made a long time ago, and some very recently. Another simple reason, pretty superficial, is that all of them have an image of a woman. More importantly, most of them were part of our "Game," Victor's responses to the themes I gave to him. My "assignments" this time were pretty vague and somewhat abstract, and his interpretations, as usually, were not that straight-farward, so it would be impossible to explain how each one responds to a particular theme.

I read a book about Japanese design, and one of its main principles was Perfection of Imperfection.   This idea impressed me because it was close to my sense of aesthetics. I shared it with Victor, and he sent me this drawing that was made awhile ago and actually depicted his friends. I can sense how it responds to the theme, but can't really explain it...

"Perfection of Imperfection"

"Совершенство Несовершенства"

This one is pretty simple. I told Victor that while driving Upstate NY and listening to music, I was singing aloud in my car, for the first time in my life. Why for the first time? First of all, I am rarely by myself in the car, and it was a lucky combination of songs that I like, great weather, anticipation of a good hike... So this was my theme, and this is his response.

While writing this, I suddenly realized that although this blog is definitely devoted to Victor ("My Friend, The Artist"), it is kind of about me as well. It took me only 40 posts to notice it!! Does it make me immodest? I guess...

"Desire to Sing"

"Петь Хочется"

The following theme came from my visit to the store REI in Soho, where I was buying gear for my week-long camping and hiking trip in Utah. Even after living in America for 18 years, I was shocked with the abundance of everything you can and cannot think about, and the task of choosing between dozens of brands, sizes, colors, prices and models of everything, from clothes and hats to sleeping pads and compasses. The drawing has nothing to do with the store, except the difficult task of choosing.

"Choice"

"Выбор"

I really don't remember what conversation caused the next theme, but it doesn't necessary require any background information.

"Past, Present, Future"

"Прошлое, Настоящее, Будущее"

The next one is actually pretty straight-forward. It's exactly what it's meant to be: I just told Victor that I had a happy day - for several material and immaterial reasons: my son found his first job, I was leaving to Utah next day, my school day was very satisfying. To make the day even happier, this was one of the rare occasions when Victor actually didn't find this drawing among thousands of what he had already had, but made a new one, although I am sure he could find many that would fit the theme.  

"Happy Day"

"Счастливый День"

39. Challenge - 7: How do you Draw Emotions.

A long time ago, in one of the first posts, I started showing Victor's drawings about various human states and emotions: Patience, Doubt, Despair, etc. He didn't necessary try to draw these particular feelings. As usually, when I gave him a theme based on something we talked about, or something I've experienced on that day, he would pick something from his work, name it accordingly, and send to me. Throughout the last couple of months, I received a few more of his drawings that fit this category.

When I give Victor a theme, I never know what to expect. I am thinking about a word, or an idea, in a certain way, but very rarely he finds something that matches my expectations. This is good, I guess, meaning his art is original and not predictable. More often he surprises me finding a totally unexpected twist of the theme I "assign." He may turn it into a joke, or play with words, or present some weird aspect of that very idea.

I gave him a theme - "Tenderness." I definitely didn't expect this, although I was amazed that in spite of ugliness and un-humanness of the creatures he drew, the feeling is so obvious here!

"Tenderness"

"Нежность"

Strangely, no twist in the following drawing. Or did I miss it?

"Jealousy"

"Ревность"

The following is not a drawing, but an applique. It is Victor's response to my theme "Remorse." In Russian, it is two words that would be closer translated as "gnawing of conscience." I couldn't argue with it, because we clearly see at least gnawing... I asked Victor when and why he made it, and he answered that it was a long time ago, when he was actually bitten by a dog.



"Gnawing of Conscience"

"Угрызения Совести"

The next theme was "Selfishness," or "Egotism." That's what Victor sent to me:

"Egotism"

"Егоизм"

I said that it wouldn't work: clearly, I meant this at a personal level, not in the political sense. Next day he sent me another version. I remember this drawing since the 1990's, and I doubt it had anything to do with selfishness. But surprisingly, if you think about it, it really does.

 

"Egotism"

"Егоизм"