“Pure abstract art becomes completely emancipated, free of naturalistic appearances.” —Piet Mondrian, 1929
Walking up to Piet Mondrian’s painting, Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow can be a baffling experience. The canvas is small and uses only the simplest of colors: red, blue, yellow, white, and black. The composition is similarly reduced to the simplest of rectilinear forms, squares and rectangles defined by vertical and horizontal lines. One would hardly suspect that we are seeing the artist’s determination to depict the underlying structure of reality.
Contents
Neo-Plasticism: The New Plastic Painting
Mondrian called his style Neo-Plasticism or “The New Plastic Painting,” the title of his famous 1917 essay promoting abstraction for the expression of modern life. Don’t be confused by Mondrian’s use of the term “plastic.” He uses it to refer to the plastic arts—media such as sculpture, that molds three-dimensional form, or, in Mondrian’s case, painting on canvas. Mondrian believed his abstraction could serve as a universal pictorial language representing the dynamic, evolutionary forces that govern nature and human experience. In fact, he believed that abstraction provides a truer picture of reality than illusionistic depictions of objects in the visible world. Perhaps this is why Mondrian characterized his style as “abstract real” painting.
Abstraction and Human Progress
Mondrian’s earliest paintings were quite traditional in both subject and style. However, he began to emulate contemporary styles, including Impressionism, Neo-Impressionism, and Symbolism, in an effort to find his own artistic voice. Inspired by Cubism, a movement led by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, Mondrian started experimenting with abstracted forms around the time he moved to Paris in 1912. His famous “Pier and Ocean” series exemplifies this period in Mondrian’s career.
His use of the term “composition” signals his experimentation with abstract arrangements. As he continued to rely on series throughout his career, we can see the progression of his pictorial language even in his later, purely abstract work. Mondrian believed that asymmetrical arrangements of geometric shapes in primary colors best represent universal forces. He combined his development of an abstract style with his interest in philosophy, spirituality, and his belief that the evolution of abstraction was a sign of humanity’s progress.
Philosophy & Theosophy
Some art historians view Mondrian’s painting as an expression of his interest in dialectical relationships, suggesting an evolutionary development. Mondrian’s association with the Theosophical Society, an esoteric group with a strong presence in Europe, may have inspired his use of opposites as an expression of hidden unity. In Theosophy, lines, shapes, and colors symbolized the unity of spiritual and natural forces.
De Stijl: The Style of Modern Life
While in Holland, Mondrian founded the movement called De Stijl with the artist Theo van Doesburg. They believed that New Plasticism could encompass all of human experience and impact modern life. Their abstract, geometric principles and use of primary colors applied in painting, sculpture, design, and architecture still resonate today.
Dynamic Contrasts: Balancing Tension and Harmony
Mondrian’s Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow demonstrates his commitment to relational opposites, asymmetry, and pure planes of color. He achieves a harmonious tension by his asymmetrical placement of primary colors that balance the blocks of white paint. Even the visible traces of the artist’s brushwork counter what might otherwise be a rigid geometric composition, balancing the artist’s desire for a universal truth with the intimately personal experience of the artist.
In conclusion, Piet Mondrian’s Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow embodies the essence of abstract art. With its reduction to simple forms and colors, Mondrian aimed to depict the underlying structure of reality. His Neo-Plasticism style, influenced by philosophy and spirituality, represents a truer and more universal language of art. Mondrian’s impact on the art world, through the De Stijl movement, continues to resonate in various forms of artistic expression. His dynamic contrasts create a harmonious tension that balances both balance and the dynamic forces that shape our world.