Malevich at Tate Modern

Encountering Malevich's work for the first time, in a show at the Van Gogh Museum more than 20 years ago, got a few wheels turning in my art-subconscious. It was one of those "why would anyone make work like this" encounters, and over the years, as my knowledge of art history grew, I came to see why. There was so much ferment, so much change, in those early years of the 20th century, and Malevich was in probably the most fermenting place of all, revolutionary Russia.

Then along came Stalin and Malevich's abstractions drifted back to figuration, for reasons of survival;  he died impoverished and all but forgotten.

1915 Suprematist exhibition (via)

However he did leave The Black Square - a revolutionary concept - purging painting of everything but the paint (and a few necessary shapes to hold that paint).

Tate's caf had a tongue-in-cheek homage - these edible squares -

After living with "Morning in the Village after Snowstorm" on a calendar, it was wonderful to see the real thing (it usually hangs in the Guggenheim) -

The exhibition runs till 26 October at Tate Modern.