Dull gray 1930

Kandinsky made this abstract painting, Dull Gray, with oil on canvas. Look closely, and you can see how the shapes float and hover against the dark blue ground. The semi-transparent circle feels particularly delicate, with radiating lines that suggest movement. I can imagine Kandinsky carefully building up the layers, intuitively placing each element in relation to the others. For me, this piece is an investigation into the relationships between form and color, a constant preoccupation for Kandinsky. It's as if he's asking: how do these shapes speak to each other? How can simple lines and colors evoke emotion? Like other abstract painters, he wanted to see what a painting could be freed of representation. What does it mean to just make a painting? I think that question still resonates for us today.