A Few Love Melodies

Kyiv-based artist Nina Maksymova’s new one woman show is titled Love Melodies. Every work presented at the exhibition contains some new shadow, new nuance of an old (or, rather, ancient) plot: waiting, then a date, after that — parting followed by loneliness (Night Date, In the Garden, Winter). The events are placed in the fairy-tale Middle Ages, no less fairy-tale eighteenth century, or some other vague beau epoche. It could be the story of Tristan and Isolde, or of Mavka [Ukrainian folk character, a water nymph] in the triptych Mavka: Spring, Mavka: Summer, and Mavka: Fall. However, most of Nina Maksymova’s works are created according to the author’s own scenario, consisting of hints, associations, and scents; a scenario poem, or, if you like, a scenario melody.

Maksymova’s romantic and refined graphic art is very feminine and very female. The artist works in Indian ink and watercolors. She creates black-and-white drawings, sometimes adding one or two most transparent and tender colors. Sometimes she limits herself to watercolors only, like in her Seasons or flower series.

The Love Melodies one-woman show is housed in the library of the National Drahomanov Pedagogical University’s Humanitarian Complex.