Cubist Composition 1920

David Kakabadzé’s "Cubist Composition" is an undated painting that lives in a private collection. The dark palette and geometric forms create an urban landscape, a city perhaps still being built. It’s like the painting itself is in process, not quite resolved, but full of potential. Look at how Kakabadzé uses the oil paint. It’s thick in some areas, almost sculptural, while in others, it’s thinned out, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere. There's a building on the right of the picture, painted with the word ‘CINE’ on it. The artist doesn't allow the word to sit flat, it tilts away from us, becoming another shape to play with, a shape that has a secret language. This work reminds me a little of early Stuart Davis, who also loved to depict the American city with angularity and wit. Kakabadzé’s painting is an invitation to see the world not as a fixed reality, but as a set of possibilities.