20th Century Art

The Pompidou Centre in Paris is displaying a unique collection of works byWassili Kandinsky. Over one hundred paintings are on show, some of which have been donated by the Guggenheim Museum in New York and the Stadtische Galerie im Lenbachaus of Munich. The exhibition is a chance for viewers to understand the life and career of this great Russian painter.

Kandinsky was born in Moscow in 1866, and before turning to painting, he studied law and economics at the University of Moscow, and taught.

However, he had been introduced to art at an early age, being encouraged to both play and appreciate music. His love of music greatly influenced his painting, and he named many of his pieces 'Improvisations', ' Impressions' and 'Compositions'. For him, painting was a way to express similar feelings that could be communicated through instruments. In fact, he once claimed that when he saw colour he heard music.

Throughout his life he wrote about spirituality. The subject fascinated him and also influenced his artwork. It was not until Kandinsky saw an exhibition of Monet's, and where he remarked, 'the painter had no right to paint in such an imprecise fashion', that he moved to Munich to study art, in 1896.

In 1909, he moved to Paris, and here his work was considered much more abstract than that of the pioneering Impressionists he had criticised. He ignored descriptive form and boundaries. His use of luminous colours and his lack of representation express his optimistic view of the future. The strong hues show the passion and feeling that he expressed though his painting. He once wrote 'colour is the power that directly influences the soul.'

When World War One broke out in 1914, he was forced to leave Germany and his highly creative period came to an end. In 1915, Kandinsky returned to Moscow where, short of materials, he started using watercolours. Paintings produced during this period were much more detailed and precise.

Moving back to Germany in 1921 with his wife Nina, he taught at Bauhaus, in Weimar. His paintings became much less cluttered and more geometrical.

In 1934 Kandinsky settled in Neuilly-sur-Seine, just outside Paris, where his palette was softer and lighter, with many paintings filled with supple forms and animal shapes. After 1942, he used only paper medium, but he continued painting until his death in 1944.

The exhibition at the Pompidou Centre until 10th August 2009, successfully shows viewers how Kandinsky was influenced by worldwide events and by the places where he lived. The layout of the exhibition takes you on a journey through the life and works of this exceptional artist. The bright colours and beautiful scenes are uplifting and this exhibition is one not to be missed.