Art history major here, so of course I love this. So interesting about the placement of the Black Square in the corner where an icon would go - blasphemous in its day but what a bold statement!
Lovely write-up. One of my favourite paintings of all time!!! Takes me back to the all white and black monochrome paintings of The Incoherents group from the 1880s. And, as a nice bit of synchronicity, my latest post has a few remakes of Malevich's work as wordless poems, including black square. :-)
Yeah, they kinda blew me away - proto-Dada to a fault. I mean, LHOOQ would appear to be directly inspired by their work. First monochromes, etc. Thanks so much for the kind words! Yeah, I have a soft spot for punctuation - it has its own evocative logic when divorced from words which I find fascinating. :-)
Hey, this was so informative. Thank you very much for so much historical perspective. I wrote elsewhere today (@Jeffrey Streeter) about how I admire people who are able to write about visual art in a way that is alive. I find that very difficult to do, and so steer a bit clear of trying; but I dig reading about it.
I really find subversively defiant quality fascinating.
So funny, that I was looking at this art today. Is it true that he signed all his art with a square? Thank you so much for this awesome article, I really enjoyed it!
I'm aware of a self-portrait he signed with a black square, in 1933. In the same portrait his hand's shaped as if to hold a square, as well. I couldn't find any other instances of him signing a painting with a black square. However he may have.
In 1930, he was arrested by the communist government and put in prison. After the pressure they applied, he changed his art to something more in line with the mandated socialist realism. But despite this he still added the black square to his self-portrait.
Art history major here, so of course I love this. So interesting about the placement of the Black Square in the corner where an icon would go - blasphemous in its day but what a bold statement!
Hi Diana. The early modernists were great. Real firebrands!
Great, detailed and passionate writing. Super. So glad to connect with your newsletter.
Thanks, Mark!
I had no idea. Love the detailed explanation. Very interesting. Thank You.
I also love how it has aged with time, become so much different from what it was.
It instantly reminded me...
"Move me on to any black square
Use me any time you want
Just remember that the goal
Is for us all to capture all we want, anywhere"
- Jon Anderson
You're very welcome. And thank you for the kind words.
This appears to pre-date Color Field painting?
Lovely write-up. One of my favourite paintings of all time!!! Takes me back to the all white and black monochrome paintings of The Incoherents group from the 1880s. And, as a nice bit of synchronicity, my latest post has a few remakes of Malevich's work as wordless poems, including black square. :-)
Thanks! Okay, I need to do some research on the Incoherents. A type of proto-Dada.
Your wordless poem is really good! A very great way to use punctuation marks.
Yeah, they kinda blew me away - proto-Dada to a fault. I mean, LHOOQ would appear to be directly inspired by their work. First monochromes, etc. Thanks so much for the kind words! Yeah, I have a soft spot for punctuation - it has its own evocative logic when divorced from words which I find fascinating. :-)
Agreed on LHOOQ. I was going to say the same thing! Yes, strangely evocative.
Hey, this was so informative. Thank you very much for so much historical perspective. I wrote elsewhere today (@Jeffrey Streeter) about how I admire people who are able to write about visual art in a way that is alive. I find that very difficult to do, and so steer a bit clear of trying; but I dig reading about it.
I really find subversively defiant quality fascinating.
Cool piece, man.
Very kind words, Nicolas.
I feel engaged with art when I read about it, and I hope that comes across in my writing. I'm delighted you enjoyed the post!
That is awesome. Thank you for the explanation. I love that he was defiant enough to add those details while working in the constraints placed on him.
So funny, that I was looking at this art today. Is it true that he signed all his art with a square? Thank you so much for this awesome article, I really enjoyed it!
That is a coincidence!
I'm aware of a self-portrait he signed with a black square, in 1933. In the same portrait his hand's shaped as if to hold a square, as well. I couldn't find any other instances of him signing a painting with a black square. However he may have.
In 1930, he was arrested by the communist government and put in prison. After the pressure they applied, he changed his art to something more in line with the mandated socialist realism. But despite this he still added the black square to his self-portrait.
I’d never heard of Malevich, his Black Square, or the movement of Suprematism before so this was a real treat.
It's quite obscure but formative for modernism. I think it's not as well known as it could be because the movement didn't originate in Western Europe.
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The discount off my free-tier newsletter? You can have as large a percent off as you like!
hah perfect.
Everything is free now.
That is what they say
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I looked it up. What a unique watch!
I came across this from Raketa's press release for the watch:
'Most will hate it. Few will love it. Exactly how we want it.'
I'm in the love it camp!