Artwork of the month: Kandinsky’s “Composition #8”

I discovered Wassily Kandinsky in 1996.  It was a portion in my life when I learning how to oil paint.  My work at the time were expressionistic abstract oils, all improvisational and without any preconceived thought.  After seeing Kandinsky’s work, I began my work toward compositional oil painting.  Compositional oil painting is not simply working with the surface area of an oil painting, it is a philosophy.

I have traveled to the Guggenheim Art Museum in New York seven times now, simply to view this one oil painting.  “Composition #8” is Kandinsky’s peak, it was his best work.  Although his work continued to progress ever forward conceptually, he was never able to reach that height again.

Wassily Kandinsky
Russian, 1866-1914
“Composition #8”
1923, oil on canvas

From this digital picture, the lines look hard and solidly defined.  Standing in front of this, you can see that they are also delicate and completed the first time the brush hit canvas.  “Composition #8” is a treasured work of art and one that I will go spend some time with again very soon.

I should be painting instead of blogging…
…but you are reading, so I keep writing.