56. Memoirs.

As it has happened before, one drawing that Victor recently sent to me reminded me about others on the same topic and inspired me to make a new post. As in most instances, there is no explanation why he suddenly decided to draw this old woman writing - what? memoirs? It would be more logical if he did it three years ago, when he helped me publish the memoirs of both of my grandmothers. I made my mom type them in Russian, then spent the whole summer translating them into English, so my future grandchildren would be able to read them. Victor runs a publishing business in Ukraine, so he designed a bilingual edition and printed a couple of dozens of copies, just for my family. This is why, maybe, this drawing is so dear to me.

Again, I am not happy with the translation of the title. Victor named it "Воспоминания." In Russian, this word has two meanings: "Recollections" or "Reminiscence," on the one side, and "Memoirs," on the other. Their meanings overlap, but they are not exactly the same. Still, I believe that he meant both of them, emphasizing not just the process of writing, but the whole life flushing inside the woman's head. This is why giving just one word for the title is not that accurate.

 

 

"Memoirs"

"Воспоминания"

 

 

 

 

Of course, after looking at one of Victor's old memoirists, I recalled another.  I did write about him in one of the older posts, but it fits this one too well, I can't skip it! I will even repeat an interesting detail. Victor was on the phone with me (Skype, to be precise), when he was drawing it. He mentioned that he was drawing an ancient man writing chronicles. We continued our conversation, and after some time he exclaimed: "For some reason, he wears glasses, and there is a dead bird near him..." He sounded genuinely surprised!!

 

 



 

 

"Chronicler"

"Летописец"

 

 

 

55. The Art of Dance.

This drawing called "A Dancing God" Victor made awhile ago, and I always liked it and wanted to post in this blog, but somehow it didn't fit any topic. Finally, just a couple of days ago he sent me two more dance drawings, and now this makes a little series. By the way, if I am not mistaken, he made this one learning how to use and experimenting with his new Chinese calligraphy set.

 

"A Dancing God"

"Танцующий Бог"

 

 

"Dance"

"Танец"

 

 

"Tango"

"Танго"

 

If someone wonders why this man has a strange mask, it's a rear case where I can provide an explanation. Not why he wears it, but where it came from. Victor drew him after visiting the Museum of African Art in Washington DC. He had always dreamed about it, and we had talked how African art influenced many artists, such as Picasso and Modigliani. So I guess, he decided to demonstrate this influence right away. (I am kidding here. He never decides anything about his drawings. They decide on their own.)

 

 

 

This last drawing is not really a dance (or is it?), at least this was not the original idea of it (but once again, I never know Victor's original ideas...). And I don't remember enough about chemistry to insist that there must be a connection. But the word "chemistry" has that second meaning, at least, in English, that kind of justifies that this lady belongs here as well. Even though it's a solo dance. 

 

 

 "Valency"

"Валентность"

 

 

 

54. It's Winter!

This week, Victor has been sending me his winter photos, from different years. Looking carefully, I made some interesting (for me, at least) observation. In his drawings, I've always admired how his simple details carried both aesthetic and semantic load, strengthening both the idea and the emotional message (if they can be separated...). In these recent photographs, I noticed the same thing. The reason I found it surprising is that we (most of normal people, I mean) usually take pictures of our surroundings just because we find something beautiful or interesting. We don't stage landscapes or nature views. Of course, Victor doesn't stage them either. But he is able to see some details that we (normal people) wouldn't, and to take his pictures in the same way as he would be drawing them. At least, I am glad that being a totally normal person (I mean, not an artist), I am able to notice and appreciate them.

 

                     

           Interlacements of Ice and Metal:

 

 

 



                      Ice or glass?