Description
Kazimir Malevich, one of the most influential figures of the art of the twentieth century, is known for being the pioneer of suprematism, a movement that embraced pure abstraction and rejected figurative forms in favor of geometry and pure color. However, his 1911 "battery" work shows us a period before his complete incentration in geometric abstraction, still retaining certain figurative and subjective vestiges.
In "Bañista", we find a fascinating and multifaceted composition that amalgams elements of Cubism and Primitivism. The central figure of the work, the swimmer, is captured in the midst of static dynamism, a kind of visual paradox achieved through the use of geometric shapes and earthly tones. The lines of the body vaguely refer to human anatomy and seem fragmented, a clear influence of Cubism that Malevich also explored in those years. However, these lines do not seek so much the decomposition of reality and the reconfiguration of a new reality from a pictorial point of view.
Color plays a crucial role in this work. Malevich uses a limited palette of brown, ocher and touches of black and white, which, without being vibrant, provide a strong sense of presence and materiality to the figure. The use of color is not intended to be realistic, but rather evocative of certain emotions and sensations, in line with the artist's primitivist exploration, in which the most pure and elementary essence of the shapes and colors was sought.
We can observe that the paint bottom is treated in an almost abstract way, with unnefined geometric shapes that suggest a landscape without explicitly describing it. This allows the battery figure to highlight prominently, although it also integrates perfectly into a broader visual context that, without being explicit, frames and meaning the central character.
This intermediate period in which Malevich is in 1911 is essential to understand the evolution of his work. "Bañista" is located at a turning point where the artist begins to leave conventional forms behind and embrace a new way of seeing and representing reality. It is a moment of experimentation and transition that precedes its most radical suprematist works, such as the famous "black square on white background" of 1915.
"Bañista" is a bridge between the past and the future of Malevich, a work that not only reflects the influences and artistic currents of his time, but also glimpses the path to a total break with the conventions that was to come. The apparent simplicity of the work is misleading, because behind each line and of each color there is a deliberate intention to look beyond the visible, to explore the possibilities of the shape and color in its purest essence.
In short, "Bañista" of 1911 is a work that, despite being less known compared to his suprematist compositions, offers a rich perspective on the artistic development of Kazimir Malevich and serves as a window to a crucial segment of his career. The painting invites us to reflect on the limits of representation and the tireless search spirit that defines the work of this unmatched master of modern art.
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