Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Art Acquisition: Who is Grisha Dotzenko?

I picked up this woodcut print at BIG NYC the other day.  It was in the back leaning in a stack of other framed artwork against the wall.  It was $10 and is really nicely framed.  It is titled "Miracle" and signed "Grisha Dotzenko" and dated 1961 and has an "A/P" designation on it, all in pencil .  

I Googled the artist's name and enough credible references came up to confirm that it was not just some student work from a summer workshop in the Berkshires.  More important though, I really like it.

V was surprised that I didn't think it a little too religious looking for my taste, but I quite like whatever is going on in it: a God-like thing with lots of little folks under its wings zapping or creating a flower.  I also like that despite the composition which feels like it should be hung in landscape orientation, it is signed to be hung in portrait orientation - it makes it seem like this powerful thing is diving straight towards the earth rather than just flying along -- it makes a collision seem inevitable.

Anyway, this is not a great pic with the reflections showing and I will add better ones later once I figure out how to photograph it through the glass without too much reflection. (click pic to enlarge)



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