Red Light. Spherical construction
Kliun Ivan (1873-1943)
1923 | 68.3 x 67.7 cm
Oil on canvas
Museum of Modern Art | Costakis Collection
MMA.CC70
Greek State purchase by the heirs of the Costakis family
ARTWORK DETAILS
Type: Painting
Subject: Russian Avantgarde, Post - Avantgarde
Art techniques: Oil painting
ARTWORK DESCRIPTION
During his exploration of the subject of colour in painting, in the correlation of colour, form and texture, Kliun finds himself on the path of spherical representations. He continually develops his theory of the relationship between light and colour, leading to the creation of 'cosmic images.' One of the most characteristic examples is the composition 'Red Light. Spherical Construction,' in which the red light literally ignites the driving force of life, as it gathers and emits light, both literally and metaphorically, due to its title.
CREATOR
Ivan Vasilyevich Kliun (Kliunkov) was born in the village of Bolshie Gorky in Vladimir province. From 1881 to 1892 his family moved to Kamenka, Ukraine for better living conditions. In 1892, Kliun moved to Lomz, Poland and made his first painting studies in 1896 at the School for the Promotion of Arts in Warsaw. In 1898 he settled in Moscow, where his family was located, worked as an accountant and continued painting. He visited the ateliers of the artists Ilya Mashkov and Fedor Rerberg and there he met Kazimir Malevich. In 1911-1916 he was a founding member of the Moscow Salon Artists' Association and participated in its exhibitions. He participates in avant-garde exhibitions from 1913, becomes a member of the "Youth Union" group and the "Vales Karo" community, meets many artists and becomes one of their companions. In the period 1918-1921 he was director of the Exhibition Office of the Department of Visual Arts of the People's Commissariat of Enlightenment (NARKOMBROS), Professor of Painting at the Free State Artistic Workshops (SVOMAS) and the Higher State Artistic and Technical Workshops (VHOUTEMAS). In 1922 he participated in the First Russian Art Exhibition at the Galerie Van Diemen in Berlin and then at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. In the following years he continued to publish theoretical texts, designed a series of futuristic publications and worked on book illustrations. He turned to Purism and created still lifes with obvious influences, and in 1934 he expressed his interest in returning to realistic painting. He died in Moscow in 1943.