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Eugene Pokutnev
Artist from Ukraine
Eugene's paintings aren't just compositions of colour - they are movements. They seemed to shift before your eyes, pulling you in, disorienting in the best way. His secret? ‘-black’ - a rare Japanese paint so dense that it absorbs nearly all light, creating an illusion of infinite depth. He orders it from a master in Japan, layering it alongside vibrant colour, bending space itself on the canvas. When you stand before his work, it’ as if you’ falling into the painting, moving between its layers, losing balance for just a second.
His journey into art was as unexpected as the effect of his work. Growing up in a small city near Dnipro, a career in art was never considered an option. He spent his days sketching intricate patterns but, like many others in his city, he needed stability. So he became a policeman.
And yet, fate has its way of rewriting stories. One day, while investigating a burglary, his colleague casually showed the apartment owner some of Eugene’ sketches. The man, a businessman with an eye for art, was so captivated that he made an offer on the spot: “ the police. I’ fund you.” And just like that, Eugene left law enforcement behind.
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Look for 20 seconds. What do you see?
Man with a nail in the head
Painting by Eugene Pokutnev
80 x 80 cm • Acrylic on canvas
The picture is a bright, dynamic canvas that combines abstract and figurative elements. The composition of the picture is saturated with details and contrasts, which creates a feeling of multi-layeredness and depth.
Key elements and their interpretation:
*The central element of the picture is a human head, executed in cold tones and supplemented with mechanical details. This image can symbolize the merging of man and machine, the loss of individuality in the modern world, or, on the contrary, the search for new opportunities that open up thanks to technology.
*The hammer depicted in the picture can have many meanings. It can symbolize both creation and creativity, as well as destruction and violence. In the context of this picture, the hammer can be interpreted as an instrument of transformation that can both create and destroy the existing order.
* Bright abstract elements that fill the space of the picture create a sense of chaos and dynamics. They can symbolize the informational noise that surrounds a modern person, or the inner world of a person, full of conflicting emotions and experiences.
* Color range: The use of contrasting colors (bright yellow, blue, pink) creates an emotional charge and attracts the viewer's attention. The cold shades of the head contrast with the warm tones of the background, which emphasizes the internal conflict and contradictions present in the picture.
About the artist
Eugene Pokutnev
Artist from Ukraine
Eugene's paintings aren't just compositions of colour - they are movements. They seemed to shift before your eyes, pulling you in, disorienting in the best way. His secret? ‘-black’ - a rare Japanese paint so dense that it absorbs nearly all light, creating an illusion of infinite depth. He orders it from a master in Japan, layering it alongside vibrant colour, bending space itself on the canvas. When you stand before his work, it’ as if you’ falling into the painting, moving between its layers, losing balance for just a second.
His journey into art was as unexpected as the effect of his work. Growing up in a small city near Dnipro, a career in art was never considered an option. He spent his days sketching intricate patterns but, like many others in his city, he needed stability. So he became a policeman.
And yet, fate has its way of rewriting stories. One day, while investigating a burglary, his colleague casually showed the apartment owner some of Eugene’ sketches. The man, a businessman with an eye for art, was so captivated that he made an offer on the spot: “ the police. I’ fund you.” And just like that, Eugene left law enforcement behind.
Tell what you think...
Look for 20 seconds. What do you see?
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