Composition 1923

David Kakabadzé made this painting called 'Composition' and the date is unknown. It’s held in a private collection, so how lucky we are to see it today! The application here is flat, the tones are muted and chalky. There's an interesting tension between the way the shapes are defined as flat planes and the suggestion of depth and volume created by the subtle gradations of colour. Look at the lower portion of the largest form, it's like the figure is standing on the edge of something, or sinking into it. It’s like a soft landing. The combination of soft edges and the limited palette evokes something dreamlike. It makes me think about Joan Miró's biomorphic forms and how they float in ambiguous spaces. Kakabadzé's painting is a reminder that art is often at its best when it invites us to explore the spaces between representation and abstraction.