Ivanov’s latest series of works on paper, titled No re-entry (2024), continues to explore psychologically related topics of loss, the inevitability of events and experiences, and the challenges of forging paths ahead. The dynamic nature of both the execution and the palette suggests that these processes are fluid and expressive rather than stagnant and merely contemplative.

The main ideas cycle between the imposed necessity for self-reflection, the acceptance of choices and their unexpected consequences, and, on occasion, their violation of one’s concepts of “normality.” Inspired by personal experiences, the resulting artwork aspires to examine such topics in a more general sense so that the viewer can relate to and, in turn, form their own perspective.

A subsequent piece of the artist’s intent is to introduce the notion that these challenges occur on different levels. We make decisions and manage their often-unintended consequences on a daily basis; at the end of the day, we need to come to terms with the fact that these things belong to the past and cannot be changed, regardless of how unwanted the consequences. At the same time, one faces circumstances that demand a larger examination of how a person has been managing and coping with the loss of objects and persons that carry special meanings. Additionally, there is the basic understanding that as life goes on, it is impossible to “correct” prior experiences or to make changes leading to different—better desired—outcomes.

Regardless, the three series are created with mixed techniques of overlapping gentler brush strokes with more diluted colors juxtaposed to thin, scraped color layers that may be neighboring thin lines of marker or traces of watery pigments. These techniques are intended to suggest the cyclic nature of the aforementioned challenges. A point of No re-entry is not an endpoint but rather an opportunity to reexamine and direct the flow towards more fulfilling future experiences, even if these are diminishing as time marches on.