Watermelon & Jug by Vsevolod Boytsov

The series “On the Table” by Vsevolod Boytsov is presented as an allegory of dialogue between two Still Life (“Still Life with a Jug” and “Still Life with a Watermelon”), each of which manifests polar moods and conditions. The antagonism of meanings is achieved by contrasting the light and dark, enthusiastic and tense, sonorous and “deaf”. Contrasts - the central artistic device of the series “On the Table”. The simplicity of lines, shapes and silhouettes is designed to shift the emphasis towards an interest in rich and open colours, declaring freedom of expression and spontaneity of feelings. Large, contrasting colour spots of lemon, scarlet, black and white build a sharp, dynamic rhythm that permeates the Still Life from the inside. The speed of this alarm is enhanced by a complex multidimensional compositional system. An important aspect is the temperament of strokes and the diverse nature of the texture palette: smooth, rough, flat, convex, fluent and measured, they indicate the inconsistency and variability of life.

Maria Abaeva (art historian)