Several years ago while reading Abstract Expressionism I discovered a small volume Concerning the Spiritual in Art by Wassily Kandinsky , Russian painter, art theorist, and modern abstractionist. I know this is a core book in beginning art classes, however, at the time for me it was the entrance into a new way of thinking about objects, color, lines, and circles and their relationship to the soul. I was enraptured and inspired. To this day, I keep my dog eared, marked up copy close at hand even when I travel. Then I discovered Kandinsky: Complete Writings on Art and that pushed me even further into the realm of this extraordinary artist.
In early October of 2009 I discovered that the NYC Guggenheim as part of their 50th anniversary celebration had mounted, what has been heralded as a land mark exhibition, Kandinsky a full scale retrospective. At that point in time I also was facing the possibility of immediate unemployment, no matter, I had to see this exhibit. Kandinsky in the building that was designed to show his work, how could I not attend? Plans were made, plane ticket purchased, a hotel room reserved, I would see this exhibit!
After months of anticipation, January 9th arrived and I stood in the center of that magnificent Frank Lloyd Wright building, heart pounding, mind racing, about to descend into the art and soul of Kandinsky. The color, oh the color, the delicious mixture of pastels and primaries juxtaposed pulling, pushing, dancing from image to image. My eyes were filled with movement, circles within circles, and the exploration of infinity on a canvas. Then I was standing in front of Composition IX , an explosion of color, a modern symphony of rainbows. I hadn’t expected to find so many rainbows, yet there they were in painting after painting. The intensity of color, the haunting image, a door into the unconscious, Yellow, Red, Blue was stunning.
Every new image invoked a myriad of emotions. From my notebook:
After hearing the first public presentation of Prometheus by Arnold Schönberg Kandinsky was inspired Kandinsky to paint the Red Tuba and made him want to figure out a way to have lights hooked up to piano strings so that when music was played the colors would change...first conception of a laser light show to music?
I am sitting here crying, overwhelmed by the color in Black Lines. Purity of color, it is life at its happiest. I can hardly bear to leave it. No printed reproduction even comes close!
In watercolor rooms -- impossible to take in every image, there are so many, my brain is on fire.
Studies for many of the large works started here. Incredible!
Back in the main galleries – Black Arch –again the juxtaposition of pastels in the upper right to the dark blue in the lower left with the purple precariously balanced in between. How does he do it? Improvisation VI , oh my God what color, it is almost more than a person can see!
The entries go on for several pages. At times I found myself smiling, laughing inside at the pure joy of color, at other moments I was weeping, overwhelmed by the beauty, and at times tyranny the images provoked. Even re-visiting old friends like the 4 panels that Kandinsky painted for Edward R. Campbell that I have spent so much time gazing at in their home at MOMA felt brand new. To see this body of work was a rare privilege and has proven to me again that there are just some things in life that I have to do.
For me, this show was food for the soul, nourishment for the spirit, and inspiration to go on with my painting. To be able to feast my eyes on such images proves to me again that I do indeed live a charmed life. Thank you Mr. Kandinsky, thank you Guggenheim!
Note: First I want to thank friends Mary and Teresa for sharing this experience.
Second, through the years I have been inspired by Kandinsky. To see some of the paintings that were completed while reading his books please visit my Inspired by Kandinsky Album at
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