Creation of the World VIII 1906

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis made this painting, Creation of the World VIII, at the beginning of the 20th century. The work is built up with soft washes of color, mostly pale yellows, oranges, reds, and greys, and thin vertical marks that lend the whole thing a sense of movement. I can only imagine what it might have been like for Ciurlionis to create this mystical scene. I picture him layering the paint, one thin veil over another, always refining, always searching for the right balance. Look at how the paint is applied so thinly, like watercolor almost, allowing the underlayers to peek through. Those vertical marks, like drips or slender, elongated figures, suggest a world in flux, constantly emerging and dissolving. I’m reminded of other painters who explored spiritual themes, like Hilma af Klint, who was also working around the same time. Artists like Ciurlionis and af Klint were driven by a desire to express something beyond the visible world. It is like they were in a conversation across time, inspiring one another's creativity.