Bitter Honeydew

Golovchenko realiza um documentário sobre improvisados pontos de venda de frutas na Ucrânia, seu país de origem, os chamados “Tochka”. Vendedores vindos do Azerbajão, Romênia e Georgia trazemsuas famílias e vivem em verdadeiros acampamentos a beira das estradas, rotina que se dá a ver em flagrantes noturnos que remetem a iconografia da pintura, pano de fundo das experiências do artista. Para essa série a inspiração vem da pintora francesa Louise Moillon (1610-1696), que desenvolveu naturezas mortas e discretas cenas noturnas de comércio, pouco frequentes no mundo da arte. As referências passam ainda pelas pinturas de Jan Brueghel, o velho (1568-1625), especialmente “Sodoma e Gomorra” e “A destruição de Troia” que trazem, assim como a série dos vendedores de Golovchenko, uma atmosfera  épica e dramática às cenas cotidianas.

Mainz (Alemanha)

Bitter Honeydew

Do you think it tastes sweet
when every passing car
causes you to cough
and gnash your teeth?

Dust and dirt are
a permanent sediment
and color in your food.

They permeate your blood
and make it thick like honey.
It drives you crazy,
permanently overcome by fatigue.

You‘re trying to dilute your blood:
during the day with the energy drink
and at night with vodka.

But the tourists give you no rest.
They “swarm“ in their cars like bloodthirsty mosquitoes
hunting down the glow of your light bulb
that shines in total darkness,
and suck what remains of your strength.

The buyers know “better“ the true price
of your melons,
and there, where they come from,
is always cheaper.
Nevertheless, they want to buy from you.

After midnight you want
to fall at last into a light sleep
and permanently watch
that never losing sight of your melons.

At the same time
dozens of mosquito continue to bite you
something which you should
have got used to by now.
Soon it will be the morning and the work…

Can you imagine, now,
asking the seller
if the melons taste sweet like honey?