Fanny Machine - The machinery

Frantisek Kupka made this painting called Fanny Machine – The Machinery, with oil on canvas. The grays and blacks create a subdued feel, while the reds and yellows seem to want to pop out. You can see how the circles and arcs are laid on top of the darker shapes, implying some depth, as if the circles are floating in front. It’s like he's thinking about how machines work – all these pieces fitting together. The texture of the paint is smooth. Look at how the gray and white brushstrokes create a sort of shimmering effect. It's not quite photorealism, but it's also not pure abstraction. It's like he's trying to find some other way to represent the world. Kupka’s movement towards abstraction is very similar to Picabia who painted mechanical forms. Painting is always a conversation. There’s no single right way to see it, and that's what makes it exciting.