Kompozycja geometryczna z postaciami 1934

Sasza Blonder made this painting, Kompozycja geometryczna z postaciami, with paint, at some point in the first half of the 20th century. I love how the geometric shapes are so playful, nothing quite lines up as you expect it to, and there's a tension between the flat picture plane and the illusion of depth. Look at how Blonder uses these delicious colours, like a muted apricot and a kind of bruised plum, to define the edges of the forms. The paint is applied thinly in layers, and you can see the brushstrokes going every which way, each mark loaded with its own energy. It reminds me of a less manic version of de Kooning in a way, or maybe even Forrest Bess, if he'd had a slightly sunnier disposition. Take for example that bold, blue outline of the triangle in the foreground, like a visual anchor that pulls the whole composition together. It’s these kinds of choices that make art more than just decoration, they make it a conversation, an argument, a dance.