Blue Color Theory Adams 11/7/13

Wassily Kandinsky
Wassily Kandinsky was born in Moscow, Russia, ec! 1", 1#""!

A$ $ha$ $ime, $he world had no$ a clue $ha$ one day $ha$ li$$$le baby would re%olu$ioni&e $he 'ace o' (ain$in) 'ore%er! Raised in *dessa, Russia, Kandinsky a$$ended $he +ni%ersi$y o' Moscow, s$udyin) economics and law! ,a$er in li'e, Kandisky would choose $o 'ore)o a lucra$i%e law (rac$ice $o (ursue $he ar$is$ic (a$h! As mos$ know, Wassilly-s ma.or con$ribu$ion $o $he ar$ world was $he 'ormula$ion o' $he worlds 'irs$ /(urely/ abs$rac$ed (ain$in)s! The ma.or $urnin) (oin$ 'or Kandinsky was in %iewin) /0ays$acks/, a (ain$in) by $he o%er1ra$ed Claude Mone$! 2n %iewin) $he (ain$in), Kandisnsky said $ha$ i$, /o%erwhelmed him $ha$ color had i$s own in$rinsic (ower and 'rom $ha$ (oin$ on he %iewed $he cra'$ wi$h a 'airy $ale 3uali$y! Wha$ s$ruck him $he mos$ was $ha$ he was unable $o dins$in)uish hays$acks 'orm back)round! 0e (oin$ed ou$ $ha$ he 'el$ $ha$ $he ar$is$ had no ri)h$ $o elimina$e $he ob.ec$ 'rom a work! ue $o

$his a'ron$, a$ $he la$e a)e o' 34, Wassily decides $o become a (ain$er! 0a%in) s$ar$ed a$ such a la$e s$a)e o' li'e, i$ is e%en more ama&in) $ha$ Wassily would end u( chan)in) $he Ar$ world 'ore%er! As a s(iri$ualis$, Kandinsky mi)h$ ha%e a$$ribu$ed $his )ood 'or$une $o some 'orce in $he e$her! The 15$h cen$ury was a ho$bed o' hocus (ocus, mumbo .umbo ac$i%i$y, )i%in) us such 'amous hucks$ers as Alies$er Crowley, Ar$hur 6dward Wai$e, 6li(has ,e%i, Marie ,a%eau7in'amous 8ew *rleans 9oodoo :ueen;, Madame 70elena <e$ro%na; Bla%a$sky and e%en Mary Ann Todd ,incoln! Wi$h all o'

$his su(ers$i$ious ac$i%i$y swirlin) abou$ durin) $he $ime, Kandinsky, like a mul$i$ude o' o$hers, became a 'ollower o' $he s(iri$ualis$ 0!<! Bla%a$sky! Madame Bla%a$sky, as she was a''ec$iona$ely known, 'ounded a branch o' s(iri$ualism, s$ill e=$an$ $oday, known as /Theoso(hy/! To 3uo$e $heoso(hical!or), /The word "theosophy" was first used in writing during the 3rd to the 6th century of our era by the Alexandrian NeoPlatonic philosophers. They used this term to denote an experiential nowledge that came through spiritual! not intellectual! means. "n the course of time! se#eral mystics and spiritual mo#ements in the $est %mainly &hristian-based' adopted the word "theosophy" in their teachings. Among them we can find (eister )c hart in the *+th century! ,acob -oehme in the *.th century! and )manuel /wedenborg in the *0th century! and others. "n the last 1uarter of the *2th century (me. -la#ats y! &ol. 3lcott! and a group of li eminded people! founded the Theosophical /ociety! thus bringing the term bac into light again. They claimed the wor of the T/ was a continuation of pre#ious Theosophists!

especially that of the 4ree and Alexandrian philosophers. "n the modern Theosophical mo#ement the word "Theosophy" has been used with se#eral different meanings5 a' "t is fre1uently used to describe the body of teachings that were gi#en through (me. -la#ats y and other Theosophical writers. This body of nowledge is fre1uently called "modern Theosophy" %with capital T'. b' "t is also used to refer to the uni#ersal Ancient $isdom underlying all religions! which can be found at their core when they are stripped of accretions! deletions! and superstitions. This is sometimes referred to as "ancient" or "timeless" theosophy. These two usages refer to a body of teachings transmitted by different sages! in different parts of the world! and at different times. c' As we ha#e seen! theosophia refers to a 6i#ine $isdom! that is! a state of consciousness in which the sage or mystic goes beyond his or her mind and gets a direct! supra-conceptual! perception of Truth. This is the primary meaning of Theosophy. 7andins y was influenced to such an extent that it influenced not only his Art but also his writings! according to topofart.com! ""t is important to notice that the intellectual study and daily practice of Theosophy is only a means to reach the real theosophia! or inner enlightenment. As we become more mindful of this! we open the door to a flash of insight which comes from the part of us that is 6i#ine. The process of becoming more and more recepti#e to these theosophical insights is the spiritual path." According to topofart.com

7andins y espoused the theory to 1uite an extent! "Theosophical theory postulates that creation is a geometrical progression! beginning with a single point. The creati#e aspect of the forms is expressed by the descending series of circles! triangles! and s1uares. 7andins y8s boo &oncerning the /piritual "n Art %*2*9' and Point and :ine to Plane %*2;6' echoed this basic Theosophical tenet." This religio-spiritual bent inspired 7andins ys mo#e from traditional painting to disco#er a purely abstracted method. -eside the spiritual influence! $assilys lo#e of music was a ma<or contributing factor as he rightly percie#ed that music is a completely abstract form of expression! ha#ing no basis in concrete reality. The musician that exemplified this concept for 7andins y was =ichard $agner and specifically the opera! ":ohengrin". (usic played a ma<or role in the de#elopment of the Abstract mo#ement and ,a>> has long had a tradition of impro#isation! a term that 7andins y himself used in regard to some of his paintings. (usic was! of course! not the only influence on $assilys art. According to topofart.com! 7andins y taught at the famous -auhaus from *2;;*233! "The -auhaus was an inno#ati#e architecture and art school whose ob<ecti#es included the merging of plastic arts with applied arts! reflected in its teaching methods based on the theoretical and practical application of the plastic arts synthesis." ?e was also instrumental in the founding of the "Neue 7unstler#ereinigung (unchen" %New Artists8 Association'! of which he became President in *292. Not only did these experiences influence him! but the @au#ists use of color! light and their interplay! were strong contributors to the creation of what would become "Abstract". 7andins y! after disco#ering Abstraction! /pirituality in Art! and a new sub<ect

matter in Art which he termed "inner necessity"! which topofart.com informs us on! "The inner necessity is for 7andins y the principle of the art and the foundation of forms and colors8 harmony. ?e defines it as the principle of the efficient contact of the form with the human soul. )#ery form is the delimitation of a surface by another oneA it possesses an inner content which is the effect it produces on the one who loo s at it attenti#ely. This inner necessity is the right of the artist to an unlimited freedom! but this freedom becomes a crime if it is not founded on such a necessity. The art wor is born from the inner necessity of the artist in a mysterious! enigmatic and mystic way! and then it ac1uires an autonomous lifeA it becomes an independent sub<ect animated by a spiritual breath."

/adly! $assily 7andins y shuffled off his mortal coil the #ery same month he first inhabited it! 6ecember. -y the year he passed! *266! he had been a teacher! lawyer! founder! husband! art theorist! and painter. ?e left us a legacy that teaches to follow our true nature! experiment and explore with passion and rationality. 6isco#ering a new method of artistic expression is one of the most difficult tas s one can achei#e and 7andins y is one of the few in history who accomplished that ?erculian feat.