Self Portrait 1911

Kazimir Malevich painted this self-portrait with oil on canvas. Look at those bold strokes of colour, oranges and reds and greens, layering on top of each other to create a face. I can imagine Malevich in his studio, maybe late at night, peering into the mirror, dabbing these colours onto the canvas, trying to capture something beyond just his likeness. There’s a kind of urgency in the way the paint is applied, not trying to blend it all in, but letting each stroke stand on its own. See that little dash of red on his cheek? It’s like a burst of energy. The greens are strange, like a sickness or mold, invading his face. It’s like he’s not just painting what he sees, but what he feels. It’s interesting to see this painting alongside his more abstract works, like the Black Square. It reminds us that artists are always experimenting, always pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. It’s all one big conversation, this thing of painting.