Composition C (No.III) with Red, Yellow and Blue 1935

Piet Mondrian made this painting, Composition C, with oil paint on canvas. Now, that might sound straightforward, but think for a moment about these materials. Oil paint is a mass-produced industrial product. Canvas, too, comes off a roll. This wasn't always the case; both had to be painstakingly prepared by hand, and still are by some artists. Mondrian’s choice to embrace these standardized materials says something. The black lines are clearly delineated, creating a grid that seems almost mechanically precise. The colors are also flat and uniform, as if carefully manufactured. Look closely, and you can see the brushwork. The colors are slightly uneven, hand-laid, and betray the amount of labor involved. The impact of this work comes from a tension between the seeming perfection of industrial production, and the human touch. It’s a celebration of both, and a reminder that even the most abstract art is rooted in material reality.