Label Text:
The irregular geometrical shapes in this drawing reflect Kliun’s synthesis of Cubist, Suprematist, and Constructivist approaches. The artist’s experiments with Cubist and Purist forms appear to resonate in the complex structure of Geometrical Design. Yet Kliun was most indebted to Kasimir Malevich (1878–1935), with whom he was close friends. Malevich’s Suprematism introduced completely non-representational geometrical abstraction to the public in 1915. Around the same time, Kliun discovered Tatlin’s abstract spatial constructions. In Geometrical Design he arranged seemingly overlapping quasi-geometrical shapes, evoking the vague impression of three dimensional space and a sense of unstable balance. The monogram at the lower margin adds a playful element to the drawing.
Despite his interest in the Constructive element, Kliun believed in the transformative value of art and did not enter the world of applied design, which many avant-garde artists embraced around 1920.
BJ, 2014
Tags:
abstract; geometry; shape Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=AC+2001.171 |
