Kadinsky was the first male abstract artist, but Hilma Auf Klimt was the first abstract artist and predates Kadinsky by about 20 years. Her work was based in a spiritual philosophy. She spent her entire artistic career exploring her spiritual path. It is an ashame that Hilma is overlooked so easily.
'Blue Mountain' (@ 16:36) is one of my most favorite paintings. I lived near the Guggenheim Museum where it is in the permanent collection and would visit the painting often. There is something about it where colors are more brilliant than any other painting I know. I've been painting for 60 years. 67 years old next month and got my first set of oil paints when I was 7. My goal with a painting has changed over the years. In my youth I wanted to make people think. I tried to say something. Later I went for impressing people with skill, with realism. 10 years ago I began playing with color. I want my canvases to scream with color. Painting has become fun again. A wall with a half dozen of my recent paintings is the most colorful thing in town. It seems so simple now. To make bright color the focus of my painting. I don't struggle to start a painting. I can splash any color I want on a panel because it will be built on and changed as the painting progresses. Kandinsky is inspirational.
This is about the fifth of your wonderful art documentaries that are allowing me to put my opinions aside and understand better what each artist is trying to convey with his art and Kandinsky was definitely on my ambivalent list - interesting fact that he can hear colors and see sounds. That fact alone increased my curiosity in each picture, :volcano-green-lava-orange:
Beautifully compiled and narrated piece. Kandinsky was nothing if not complicated and ambitious and like most of us artists, he was greatly influenced by his world around him, wanting to convey his own interpretations of each. Thank you for this lovely share. Cheers!