Black Square: Malevich and the Origin of Suprematism

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Kazimir Malevich (1879-1935) was a pioneer of abstract art and a founder of the avant-garde Suprematist movement in Russia. His painting, Black Square, was the quintessence of his Suprematist project and an outstanding breakthrough in the history of modern art, anticipating the development of geometrical abstraction in the West in the 20th century. In this lecture, Dr. Shatskikh speaks about the significance of this single painting, and sheds new light on Malevich, his legacy and influence, and the genesis of the Suprematist movement.

About the Speaker

Aleksandra Shatskikh is a leading authority on the history of the Russian Avant-Garde. She has written extensively on this topic, including Kazimir Malevich: Collected Works in Five Volumes (1995-2004), which she edited. Dr. Shatskikh’s article “Malevich and Film” appeared in The Burlington Magazine: A Centenary Anthology (2003). Her book Vitebsk: Life of Art 1917-1922 (2007) was awarded the Robert Motherwell Book Award. Her most recent book is Black Square: Malevich and the Origin of Suprematism (2012).