Space Force Construction 1921

Lyubov Popova made this painting, Space Force Construction, with oil paint, and when I look at it, I immediately think about the making, you know, the doing. The palette is pared back to this warm wood ground, off set by black, white, and a kind of signal red, all organised into circles and diagonals. You can see so much of the hand in the work; the way the colors are built up and the visible brush strokes. There's a real tension between the lines and circles, like the whole thing might just come apart at any moment. But somehow, she holds it together. I'm really drawn to that upper right corner where there is a small blue triangle, it is like a little window or moment of calm. It's like she's winking at us, reminding us that even in the most chaotic construction, there's always room for a little bit of quiet, or maybe doubt. Thinking about art as this ongoing conversation, this piece reminds me of Malevich and the Suprematists, but with a distinct, feminine energy. It's a reminder that art is never really finished, just waiting for the next artist to pick up the conversation and run with it.