Berührung 1924

Kandinsky made this painting, Berührung, with oil on canvas, and its all about shapes. You can see how he’s put these shapes together in a way that feels both precise and kind of off-kilter, right? Take a look at that big black triangle. It's the star of the show! It feels heavy, grounded, but it’s also got these little stripes of blue and pink cutting across it. It makes you think about how even the most solid-seeming things are actually made up of all these little bits. I love the way the paint is laid down, thin washes of ochre with bits of texture peeking through, like the canvas is breathing. Then you've got these moments where the color is so intense. It reminds me a little of Joan Miró, who was also playing around with these simplified forms and bold colors. It's like Kandinsky is having a conversation with the canvas, each shape a different voice, each color a different mood. And it's up to us to listen in and see what we hear.