Construction 1923

Aleksandra Ekster made this painting, Construction, with what looks like oil on canvas, and the surface is full of geometric shapes. I can imagine her moving these shapes around, almost like stencils, trying to get them just right. There is a playful quality to the process that I sympathize with. The color palette is very striking, with the deep blues and reds jumping out against the black backdrop. It's like she is building something from scratch, creating a world that exists only on the canvas. I see Ekster experimenting with ideas that were new and vital at the time. There’s a circle with a diagonal line through it that reminds me of El Lissitzky. You can see how artists inspire one another—through conversation, exchange, or just plain admiration. Each mark she made was a step forward, a way of embracing ambiguity and exploring the possibilities of what painting could be.