Four square 1915

Kazimir Malevich’s “Four Square” is a painting of four squares, two black and two white. The materiality of this painting is crucial. Malevich didn’t use unusual or precious materials; he used standard canvas and oil paint. But he carefully considered the texture and weight of the paint to create a surface that is both flat and subtly dimensional. The canvas, though seemingly simple, required preparation, stretching, and priming, all time-consuming, skilled processes. The social significance of this work lies in its stark reduction of form and color. Malevich was interested in pushing painting to its absolute limit, beyond representation of the world. He sought to access pure feeling through abstraction, a kind of visual language that was universal and free from the constraints of labor and politics. By reducing painting to its most basic elements, Malevich encourages us to look beyond the surface and consider the deeper meaning of form, color, and the very act of making. This challenges the traditional hierarchy of art and craft.