In my talk about the Art of Resistance (see talks tab above) I devote some time to Malevich’s famous image from the beginning of the 20th Century, The Black Square.
There is now an excellent Heni Talk about this picture available on-line given by the Director of the Whitechapel Art Gallery Iwona Blazwick.
She reflects the belief of Constructivist artists like Malevich that their work represented a real democritisation of art. It was a creative effort that was accessible by all people, everywhere. Unlike representational art it was not the property of ‘an elite’. As such it could be seen as truly revolutionary and in tune with the mood of the time.
As I explain in my talk this view was not ultimately shared by contemporary political and cultural leaders, and pictures such as the Black Square were, within a few years, no longer deemed acceptable in the Soviet Union.
To access the on line talk, which is only around 15 minutes long, follow this link.