Composition 8 1914

Piet Mondrian made this painting, Composition 8, with oil on canvas. It’s full of grey and pink rectangles, neatly compartmentalized by dark lines. I imagine Mondrian making this, stepping back and squinting, trying to feel what kind of order he could bring to the canvas. Was he ever tempted to make the pinks clash or use a thicker line? I wonder if he ever felt trapped by his self-imposed rules? Look at that pink column near the top! It’s like he’s trying to sneak some softness into the grid. The texture is smooth and controlled. The colors are quiet, but that just makes them hum. They remind me of Agnes Martin’s muted palettes, but also the early color experiments of Hilma af Klint. Artists are always talking to each other, across time and space. Mondrian’s painting is an ongoing experiment that we can all join in. It reminds us that even within the strictest boundaries, there's room to play.