Slab Construction
Inspired by Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee
Wassily Kandinsky
Born in 1866 in Moscow, Kandinsky learned to play
piano and cello. He studied Law and became a
professor of law. When he was 30 he decided to study
art and moved to Munich, Germany. This decision was
due to seeing an exhibition of French Impressionist
painters (such as the paintings on right) and hearing a
performance of the composer Wagner.
Claude Monet (French, 1840–1926)
Haystacks (Effect of Snow and Sun), 1891
Oil on canvas
Kandinsky
Houses in
Murnau on
Obermarkt,
1908
Oil on cardboard
Claude Monet
Haystacks, (Midday), 1890-91
He is credited with creating the first truly abstract painting.
He formed an Expressionist group called the Blue Rider. This group believed in an abstract
style of painting based on the inner properties of color and form.
He taught at the Bauhaus in Germany (a famous design school for combining crafts and fine
art). This school was closed by the Nazis in 1932, which led him to move to Paris.
He wrote about his theories in his book Concerning the Spiritual in Art published in 1912.
http://www.wassilykandinsky.net/
Wassily Kandinsky - Horizontale, 1924
Yellow, Red, Blue, 1925 Wassily Kandinsky
Kandinsky often related the painting of colors and pictures on a canvas to the composition
of beautiful music, and as such, named many of his paintings variants of Composition.
They were carefully arranged musical elements, precisely proportioned to evoke the
maximum aesthetic and emotional response from the viewer. He believed that the marks
and color made from the heart of the artist should speak to the soul of the viewer.
Kandinsky - Structure Joyeuse (Merry Structure), 1926
Wassily Kandinsky (Mit Und Gegen), 1929
Translation into English: and with opposition
His art from 1934-1944 he often called “a picturesque fairy tale."
Fixed, 1935 by Wassily Kandinsky
Paul Klee
Klee is another artist who was interested in art that had a musicality to it. His
work was often child-like and very playful. In 1911 he joined Kandinsky’s Blue
Rider group of artists. He also taught at the Bauhaus.
Paul Klee (1879-1940)
They're Biting
1920
Watercolour and oil paint on paper
Castle and Sun by Paul Klee
1928
oil on canvas
Paul Klee
1921
Watercolor and oil on canvas
18.9 x 12.2 in
Paul Klee, Three Houses and a Bridge, 1922
http://www.wassilykandinsky.net/
http://www.wassilykandinsky.net/fblikes.php
http://www.wassily-kandinsky.org/
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/paul-klee-1417
http://totallyhistory.com/paul-klee-paintings/
Objectives:
• Analyze the elements of design used in Wassily Kandinsky's
and Paul Klee’s paintings. Compare musical terms with
what you see in the paintings.
• Synthesize the elements into a three-dimensional form. In
other words, design a slab vessel or composition using nonobjective elements as seen in the work of Wassily
Kandinsky or Paul Klee.
• Think of your slab vessel as a three-dimensional
manifestation of a musical composition using non-
representational symbols. The work may be geometric,
organic, or a combination of both.
Tom Huck
Untitled
1988
Clay
20th Century
11 3/4 in. x 11 3/4 in. x 4 in. (29.85 cm x 29.85 cm x 10.16 cm)
Student Examples
Other Considerations:
•
•
Works may be functional or non-functional.
The work is to be freestanding, balanced, and in
harmony with the elements (color, form, shape,
line) used.
•
Craftsmanship (attention to details) is important
as you refine your and finish your work.
Art Elements
• Shape
• Form
• Color
• Texture
Texture: how a
surface feels
(tactile or actual
texture)
or looks like it
would feel
(implied or visual
texture)
Color: we see color due to light
reflecting off objects
The three properties of color are:
• HUE: the name given to a color
• VALUE: the lightness or darkness of a color
• INTENSITY: the strength or vividness of the color
Principles of Design
• Balance
• Unity
• Variety
Balance
How well the elements of design are arranged;
equalizing visual forces and elements. (“visual weight”)
Symmetrical
Asymmetrical
Mirror images
on both sides of
the sculpture
Different
parts are
balanced like
a seesaw
Radial
All sides
rotate around
a central point
Unity: the quality of wholeness or oneness; all
the parts work in harmony
Variety: using different or contrasting elements
to keep the viewer’s interest