Around a point

Center Pompidou, Musée National d’Art Moderne, Paris (France).

Oil on canvas.

This painting can be reviewed as a synthesis of the ideas of Frantisek Kupka in the field of cosmic symbolism and his beliefs about the hidden “inner” sense of real objects. It also reflects his interest in the scientific theories of motion, light and colour. For the author, the “point” represented the double concept of the infinitely large and infinitely small – this picture reflects this concept. The focus of the work is a small black dot, highlighted by a ray of white light. Perhaps it represents the center of the creation, and a number of scattered and interwoven rings come out of it and fill the space full of stars, planets and mystical powers. The author used more delicate shades than in his previous works, and this creates a sense of harmony in the composition. The white background gives the canvas a light and airy look – this is facilitated by the use of points to fill the planes (pointillist technique). As a result, there is a feeling of the dematerialization of solid forms. It has been suggested that the author originally planned to paint shapes around the lotus flower.