Outcome

Artist

Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian aesthetic theorist and a pioneering abstract artist in an era of representational painting. His work is marked by an exploitation of the evocative relationship between color and shape to communicate a universal sense of spirituality, a style reflective of his "inner necessity," or non-objective experience. Kandinsky's progression towards abstraction can be described as having three chronological phases, shifting from his early representational paintings with divine symbolism to bold, deeply emotional compositions to finally his later works dealing with geometric and biomorphic flat planes of color. 

His work can also be categorized based on six major motifs: the horse and rider, apocalypse, landscape, music, geometry, and scientific imagery. The horse and rider motif demonstrated his ongoing battle against traditional representational and materialistc values. Similarly, his apocalyptic works portrayed a dichotomy between disaster and paradise, often alluding to the Bible. His landscape pieces, although loosely based in nature, depicted a transition to a more geometric style while still alluding to destructive themes. His focus on music, perhaps the most profound influence on his art, displayed his interest in the simultaneous experience of more than one sense. Kandinsky's fascination with geometry underscored his new aesthetic innovations of manipulating perception of time and space. Finally, his works with scientific imagery convey a sense of spiritual regeneration, with his portrayals of life in its most primordial form. 

Work

Composition X (1939) is one of Kandinsky's last works before his death, and is a culmination of his lifetime's work in experimenting with non-representational painting and the purity of form and expression. The piece incorporates organic shapes, inspired by the flowing biomorphic forms of Surrealism. Many of the shapes of varying sizes resemble microscopic organisms, serving as an optimistic contrast to the stark black "ocean" that is the background, a color that Kandinsky rarely used in his earlier pieces. This is perhaps a depiction of both the cosmos and death, illustrating the harmony and tension throughout the universal while also conveying Kandinsky's own emotions towards the end of his cycle of life. The spontaneous bursts of color amid an isolating medium also perhaps allude to loneliness despite the never-ending progression of the universe, as demonstrated by the various ambiguous forms resembling primordial life, and humankind, illustrated by the more detailed figures that resemble books and architecture, people and culture. 

Response

Upon first glance, I immediately connected this piece to the well-known anime, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica, a dark twist to the stereotypical "magical girl" genre. The anime chooses to depict its villains, "witches," and their labyrinths as abstract figures and backgrounds. 

The abstract nature of both Kandinsky's work and the depiction of witches and their lairs conveys a dismal atmosphere that is contrasted by bright, flamboyant geometric figures that sometimes resemble reality. I found myself continually seeking refuge in such figures to rest my eyes on; however, the distortion and ambiguity of these objects added a layer of discomfort and urgency, as I expected to be familiar with said objects, and yet, since the art abstracts away from concrete recognition, I was somehow unsure of their nature. Rather suitably, the composition of such art in a confusing, spontaneous manner mimicked my own mind's chaos in attempting to make sense of the information overload. 

Product

I attempted to replicate Kandinsky's Composition X using an iPad Air and an Adonit Jot Pro, a tablet pen. I downloaded the Autodesk Sketchbook Express from the app store, which I then used to create the following composition: 

In an attempt to vary the background while still giving off a sense of dismality, I decided to fill the background with a moody wine red color, yet another color that Kandinsky doesn't seem to use very often in his works. My initial instinct for the first few objects was to incorporate Kandinsky's affinity for scientific imagery, hence the Erlenmeyer flask-looking form. Then, I wanted to express his worldly views while also including the careful detail he put into several small strokes and dots in the original composition, seemingly to demonstrate individuality. I then added several variations of squares of differing sizes, representing the galactic splatter of geometric shapes, hoping to give off the same "bird's eye view" perspective of the original work. To this same affect, I added ribbon-like strokes and straight lines. I also added a hazily outlined circle, as Kandinsky often regarded the circle as a pure building block of the universe. Finally, I included a book-like object and a symbol resembling pi, as well as several circles to supposedly represent mankind. 

Reflection

Evidently, my replication of Kandinsky's work was nowhere as intricate nor dramatic and emotion-inducing as the original. Although this is partially due to my lack of artistic expertise and resources, another significant factor was the major disconnect between art on canvas and art through a technological medium. I found that while I was working on my tablet, it was far easier to erase rather than create, a characteristic most likely unique to digital art, as often art on canvas is difficult, if not impossible to completely undo. As a result, I found myself getting caught up in the details, trying to "perfect" a stroke rather than taking it in stride. Consequently, the thought of conveying my emotions through my artwork became a secondary focus. I also felt that my color choices were not characteristic of Kandinsky's work, as I gravitated toward hues that were much brighter than Kandinsky's usual muted color palette. However, I do feel like I captured at least partially the concept of the spontaneity of life and the progression of culture. If I were to repeat this exercise, I would choose colors that are closer in shade to Kandinsky's original work and also add several depths of color as opposed to using a flat plane of color.