Drawing for ‘Bild auf hellem Grund’ 1916

This is a drawing by Wassily Kandinsky, a preparatory sketch, perhaps, for ‘Bild auf hellem Grund’. Look at how he’s used ink to map out a territory of abstraction; a push-and-pull of dark against light. I imagine Kandinsky here, circling, probing, allowing forms to emerge intuitively, almost unconsciously. What I like about this work is the tension between the planned and the accidental. There's a sense of play, of experimentation. He’s using a range of marks; thick, thin, hatched, and smudged. See how they create a sense of depth and movement, pulling us into the image and pushing us back out again. The dark pools of ink feel weighty, grounded, while the lighter areas seem to float and drift. This contrast gives the composition a lively, dynamic feel. Kandinsky’s work, like all painting, is a conversation across time. We, too, can join in, adding our own voices and perspectives to the mix.