Dance I 1917

Theo van Doesburg made this panel using primary colors and geometric forms. I can only imagine that this piece came into being through methodical planning, trial, error, and no small amount of intuition. I sympathize with van Doesburg because I too attempt to combine intuition and calculation! What do you think he might have been thinking when he selected this cool blue, sunny yellow, and passionate red? How carefully and thoughtfully he must have placed each piece of glass! Each triangle, circle, and semi-circle is precisely rendered. The black lines form a grid, framing each shape and giving the overall composition a sense of order and rhythm. The overall effect is one of dynamic equilibrium. Artists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring one another’s creativity and van Doesburg has inspired me. Painting, like dance, embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations. Van Doesburg is forever in dialogue with all other artists who play with color and form.