Austrian went into Radziwill 1914

Kazimir Malevich made this graphic piece, Austrian went into Radziwill, using bold lines and flat colors. There's a real sense of immediacy, like he’s grabbing the image straight from his head and putting it straight onto the page. Look at the way the red of the peasant woman’s dress pops against the blue sky, totally unapologetic. The texture seems almost incidental, everything’s so flat. This isn’t about realism, it’s about feeling. Take that Austrian soldier flying upwards, speared by a pitchfork, his face contorted in a cartoonish scream, it’s both awful and funny! Malevich reminds me of Hannah Höch, with his interest in radical politics combined with the absurd. Both artists help us to remember that art can be a powerful tool for change, but also for poking fun at the world. It’s a messy, complicated business, and that’s what makes it so exciting.