Folk Motives (variation) 1921

This abstract image entitled, *Folk Motives (variation)*, was created by Lajos Kassak using what appears to be pencil and crayon on paper. The drawing is a play with different colors and geometric forms. Kassak arranges these elements to evoke the traditional, folk art motifs of his native Hungary. Notice the way the artist renders the colors; this shows a range of artistic practices, from children’s coloring to traditions of painting and fine art. Kassak embraced this visual language, making the point that modernist art didn't have to be aloof or elitist. The term "folk art" often refers to forms of craft rooted in working-class communities, but here, Kassak takes it to a new level, by creating a non-representational image. With this move, he suggests that folk art could be as cutting-edge and experimental as anything else on the European art scene.