Three Woman Figures 1930

Kazimir Malevich made this painting, Three Woman Figures, with oil paint on canvas, and I’m just gonna jump right in. The approach to colour here is so interesting; each colour stands on its own, simple and direct. I get the sense that he wasn’t trying to blend or mix colours to create realistic tones. It’s more like he’s interested in the pure, unadulterated essence of each hue. And that flatness! The texture is incredibly smooth, almost like a screen print. There’s a complete lack of brushstrokes, which makes me wonder about the tools he used. Did he apply the paint with a palette knife, or maybe even a roller? Whatever he did, it gives the painting a really unique, almost mechanical feel. Looking at the black shape of the figure on the right, I feel a connection to his earlier Suprematist works, particularly in the way he uses geometric forms to represent the human figure. You can also see connections to the work of Fernand Léger. Ultimately, art is about exploring different ways of seeing and experiencing the world.