Kandinsky: Munich Years
1908-1930 produced The Blue Rider and Point and Line to Plane.
Kandinsky's artistic innovation blossomed while he lived in Munich. In the second installment of the three-part series, Kandinsky's creative development is more fully ex
In 1908, most of Wassily Kandinsky's time was spent in Munich or Murnau, where he bought and shared a house with Gabriel Munter. In the village of Murnau, he explored landscape painting, using only essential shapes to represent roads, houses, or bridges. Here he realized that objects themselves were the impediment to portraying his true artistic intent.
Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) was formed in 1911 by Kandinsky and Franz Marc. This duo brought together many artists whose names remain significant to art history. While involved in this project, Kandinsky worked on his own theories and techniques, attempting to conquer any negative issues he had with his own artwork.
Kandinsky's paintings became even more abstract depictions of lines and color. Undistorted objects were presented, but they did not exist as the subjects of his paintings. Rather, they aided in reinforcing the power of colors and shapes to convey artistic expression.
His musical influences emerged in paintings that he entitled Lyrical and Composition. Color melded into color and the problematic object was dissolved more actively into backgrounds or other elusive objects.
During the dynamic next few years, Kandinsky sought to perfect his artistic style. He described merely suggested forms on canvas which resided in voids or blended with transitional elements. He made greater attempts to give his paintings some sense of organization. The compositions were based largely on color, where splashes or scratches of black interrupted the flow of one shade into the next.
By 1914, he began another period of discontent, much like the one that lasted from 1904 to 1907. The paintings he produced at this time lacked decisiveness of line and intent. He wandered between cities like Goldach, Zurich, and Odessa.
Kandinsky began teaching at the Bauhaus in 1922. Here he was able to explore some of his ever-developing theories and interests. He and his students painted murals, expressing collective ideas.
He also wrote Point and Line to Plane, which strove to analyze pictorial elements. Finding it unfortunate that traditional compositional theories had been eradicated by Impressionism, it was his intent to rebuild this foundation to aid upcoming artists.
Kandinsky's own works explored his theories with ease and familiarity. Drawing played a considerable part in his creations. Black lines, circles, curves, and angles were also essential. He was not interested in the shapes and colors representing anything but themselves in relationship to other elements.
Kandinsky's years in Munich were among his most productive, and the art he produced during this period is often the most familiar to art enthusiasts. However, Kandinsky's personal and artistic growth would not be left behind in Germany.
Discussin of Kandinsky's life and artistic development continues in Kandinsky: Paris Years.
