Nelly Pavlova’s Architectural Discoveries

The Khmelnytsky-based artist Nelly Pavlova chose to give an autumnal twist to the name of her solo exhibition at the I. P. Kavaleridze Museum-Studio — “Apples Are Dropping.” But this somewhat melancholy “headline” should not mislead anyone, because it actually represents only one-half of the title of a picture called Apples Are Dropping. Temptation by a Black Square. Ms. Pavlova is a painter and graphic artist. In her highly original paintings, full of serene bright colors and archaic symbols, she combines folk art traditions and suprematism (Malevich’s Black Square is her never-ending source of inspiration and an unattainable standard of terseness and expressiveness. Ms. Pavlova’s graphics reflect a unique personal technique. Among her works is an integrated and unusually refined suite devoted to old architecture, mostly from the Baroque and Art Moderne periods. Kyiv figures only in the Museum of Hetmans and a work entitled The Former Monastic Cells of the Kyivan Cave Monastery. Most of Nelly Pavlova’s graphics depict “provincial” architectural masterpieces, some of which are renowned, like The Khotyn Fortress. The titles of other works bear names of unknown geographic locales, like the village of Antoniny in Khmelnytsky oblast, where she made most of her wonderful architectural discoveries. In old Proskuriv, almost every tiny street seems to lead either to a Catholic church with two quaintly shaped towers or a mansion with a distinctive semi-circular window.