Klänge Pl.03 1913

Wassily Kandinsky made this woodcut, Klänge Pl.03, using black ink on paper. It’s all about the push and pull between positive and negative space, or maybe figure and ground. Look at how Kandinsky used the woodcut technique to carve out these figures and abstract shapes with such sharp edges. It gives the whole scene this edgy, graphic quality. The bold contrast of black ink against the pale paper creates a dynamic visual rhythm. The ink is pretty flat, with no real texture, which throws all the emphasis onto the shapes and composition, like the mass of figures huddled together in the lower half of the picture plane. That one figure with his arm outstretched, what’s he doing? Is he connecting with the crowd or trying to break away? This ambiguity is pure Kandinsky, who was always more interested in capturing an inner, emotional state than depicting reality. Kandinsky’s interest in abstraction reminds me of Hilma af Klint, who was also thinking about non-objective forms. The conversation between artists across time is ongoing, and it's up to us to tune in and make sense of the noise.