nuclear I, CH 1945

László Moholy-Nagy made this painting called 'nuclear I, CH', using oil paint and canvas to create a world in flux. The shapes and colors suggest a process of building and dismantling, almost like a diagram. Look at how the colors aren’t blended smoothly but placed next to each other. The texture is smooth, with thin layers of paint. It’s hard to see the brushstrokes, but they’re there, quiet. See that triangle of grey and orange that makes up part of the lower sphere. It's hard to know where this sits in the composition and it doesn't sit still in your mind either. The way these shapes are stacked and layered makes me think about the Russian Constructivists, like El Lissitzky, who also played with space and form. This piece feels like an experiment, not just in how it's made but how we see. It's not about having all the answers but about asking questions and seeing where they lead.