Suprematist Painting 1917

This Suprematist Painting was made by Kazimir Malevich with oil on canvas, though we don’t know exactly when. The arrangement of geometric forms, the squares, rectangles, circle, gives the impression of forms floating in space, like an abstract solar system. I love how thin the paint application is, almost like a stain, which allows for a sense of transparency and layering, while the shapes are all clearly delineated. There's a kind of casualness in the composition, but each element is so carefully placed in relation to the others. Look at that pale pink rectangle, hovering diagonally across the upper portion of the canvas, there’s a sliver of grey running along one edge, it’s as if Malevich is showing his working, letting us glimpse the process of his decision making. Malevich’s work reminds me a little of Hilma af Klint’s paintings, both artists reaching for a visual language beyond representation. Their paintings remain open to interpretation, inviting us to contemplate the mysteries of existence.