ESTETIKA IR MENO ISTORIJA

The Conception of Synaesthesia in the Works of

SALOMĖJA JASTRUMSKYTĖ Lithuanian Culture Research Institute [email protected]

There are relatively few scientific studies of different levels on the synaesthetic links of music and painting in Wassily Kandinsky’s creation. The reflective regress of aesthetics and art theory to the abstract painting, reconsideration of its significance in a certain way convey the intellectual load of Kandinsky’s efforts to discover the synaesthetic principle of rendering the most sensitive shifts of the artist’s conscious and subconscious and extremely subjective senses. Intellectually capacious idea of abstract painting became an ideal existence of synaesthetic aesthetics. In case of Kandinsky’s creation, we can definitely speak of the purity of the relation between music and painting, not necessarily as a dialogue of hegemonic senses, but as a certain puritanical formula of art, which may become the starting point for the rise of new art paradigms. Kandinsky has given many synaesthetic aspects to his theory of colours, which are not usually accentuated associating his painting only with music. For Kandinsky colours were exceptional synaesthetic manifestations able to concentrate and convey the combinations, connections, entireties of various senses.

Keywords: Kandinsky, Synaesthesia, interaction of the arts, music, painting, , Abstractionism.

Wassily Kandinsky, the artist of extraordi- stages of his creative evolution, Kandinsky nary talent, is an exclusive figure not only in followed the paths delineated by Mikalojus the evolution of several important trends of Konstantinas Čiurlionis and also tackled art, first of all Symbolism, Fauvism, Expres- similar problems of ‘musical painting’. sionism and Abstractionism, but also in the Different from other problems of his history of cognition of the phenomenon of creation, there are relatively few scientific synaesthesia. On the other hand, he was a studies of different levels on the synaesthet- high-level conceptual theorist of modern- ic links of music and painting in Wassily ist art, who wrote programme theoretical Kandinsky’s creation. It is natural, because texts analysing the issues of interaction of the researchers were more interested in painting and music especially relevant to the rise of Abstractionism related to Kan- us. The synaesthetic aspects of the works of dinsky (as well as to the plastic searches Kandinsky as an artist and theorist are very of Čiurlionis, which are less well-known interesting to us, because in the important in the world), which actually marked an

The Conception of Synaesthesia in the Works of Wassily Kandinsky 109 essential turning-point in the evolution of limits of conceptuality: for Kandinsky and the Western artistic consciousness and still other artists who were developing the idea is an inexhaustible aspect of perception and of abstract painting it was not just another self-concept of modern culture; therefore, it trend of art tackling the formal problems is not by chance that this field of problems of musical architectonics in painting. Intel- of Kandinsky’s avant-garde creation is dis- lectually capacious idea of abstract painting cussed in academic literature of art studies became an ideal existence of synaesthetic especially widely and comprehensively. aesthetics. In case of Kandinsky’s creation, In fact, the reflective regress of aesthet- we can definitely speak of the purity of the ics and art theory to the abstract painting, relation between music and painting, not reconsideration of its significance in a necessarily as a dialogue of hegemonic certain way convey the intellectual load senses, but as a certain puritanical formula of Kandinsky’s efforts to discover the sy- of art, which may become the starting point naesthetic principle of rendering the most for the rise of new art paradigms due to its sensitive shifts of the artist’s conscious and alchemic transparency1. subconscious and extremely subjective 1 Kandinsky is generally considered to be the first senses. Although abstract painting is cur- creator of expressive abstraction with the lineage rently a widespread principle of visual arts, from Gauguin and the symbolists through abstract which has incidentally survived more than and essentially seeking to penetrate one period of exhaustion and extinction, and reveal the metaphysical realities beyond the visual appearance. Kandinsky’s links with fin-de-siècle the moment of its origin is surrounded by Symbolism provided a solid context for developing extraordinary efforts of thinking and the the idea of spirituality in art. When he arrived from creation of a universal and refined theory Russia to , Kandinsky started studying fine fostering an exclusive humanistic project. arts under Franz von Stuck, the representative of secession and Symbolism. Peculiar artistic climate in The active search in the fields of theory Munich and the prevalence of Jugendstil aesthetics al- and practice of synaesthesia have acquired lowed Kandinsky to envisage the value of abstraction a scale of a solid creative modernist art and the possibility to erase the lines between different project in the ambitions of Kandinsky; arts. The vision of Abstractionism is essential for the however, due to its elitist esotericism and development of Modernism and is closely related with the philosophical tradition of Plato, Hegel, and complexity it has received less attention Schopenhauer. The model of synaesthesia formed and from the researchers. It is understandable, established in abstract painting is the most universal, because according to the author of the revealing the formalist tendencies of Western synaes- project, it must carry a message not only thesia, summarizing the modernist aspirations of the aesthetic stage of synaesthesia, and the starting point of art, but also of the transformation of for many works of postmodern art seeking the unity human spirituality. Therefore, although the of the senses. Just like Gesamtkunstwerk has become abstract painting established the principles a nearly timeless model of synaesthetic structure from of formalist aesthetics and also unfolded the Wagner to virtual media, the synaesthetic principles of Abstractionism are the foundation for the aspects formalist germs of synaesthesia, which had of synthesis of visual and auditory senses. The appear- been formed in the Symbolist era, this trend ance of abstract painting is indisputably related with

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Kandinsky’s affinity with the think- nence, the position of spiritual being as an ing of Schopenhauer permeated by the opposition to the material one, and not the spirit of panmusicality, which is especially constancy of transient appearance. Kand- important from the point of view of the insky states that there is an unchangeable, genesis of the concept of synaesthesia, is infallible principle of inner necessity, which revealed by the identical terminology used gives the art the state of purity. Kandinsky to consider the materialization of their believed that the essential thing, from spirit or idea, the exclusive importance of which a work of painting must appear, is spontaneity and the category ‘musicality’ the inner necessity, innere Notwendigkeit. in different types of art. For example, when It is the essential conception of the whole explaining the objectiveness of will in the aesthetic theory of Kandinsky, which sub- work The World as Will and Representa- stantiated the principal turning-point of tion Schopenhauer used the conception visual art, the shift from the representation of inner necessity. Kandinsky also used of visual world to the rendering of inner, the early investigations of colour theory invisible experience. Therefore, according to of Schopenhauer in the work Farbenlehre. Kandinsky, a work of art should not depend Moreover, this philosopher was quoted by on such external models as nature. Instead the co-authors of his almanac the determinant for a painting to appear and Arnold Schonberg. Schopenhauer’s must be the inner voice of the artist, the exceptional appreciation of music has also inner clang [musical in its deepest nature], greatly affected Kandinsky’s ideas. For innere Klang. According to Kandinsky, lit- both Kandinsky and Schopenhauer art is erature, music and art are the first and most the only possible escape from the negative sensitive areas, where the spiritual changes aspects of will. Moreover, Kandinsky, refer- become tangibly perceptible. Regardless of ring to Woringer and Schopenhauer, used whether the form is abstract or representa- the metaphor of crystallization to express tive or an intermediate version of both, it the state of ontological purity, which he must be created according to the principle proclaimed in abstract art. This metaphor of inner necessity. is also characteristic for Klee: he pictures Although Kandinsky could have been a crystal as metaphysically pure. Purity well familiar with the German idealistic was the essential conception of Abstrac- philosophy because of the interests of the tionism, based on the Platonic vision of adherents of (The Blue perfect, non-mimetic forms of art, which Rider) group or with the Hegel’s philoso- is extremely important for the practice of phy through his nephew, a famous French abstractionism. philosopher Alexandre Kojève, but he was In his texts Kandinsky emphasizes that undoubtedly greatly influenced by the art is the expression of absolute truths in Wilhelm Woringer’s work Abstraktion und artistic forms. The exclusive conception of Einfühlung, published in 1908, which had a purity in Kandinsky’s aesthetic attitudes roaring success among avant-garde artists. embodies the ideas of metaphysical perma- The influence of this work and especially

The Conception of Synaesthesia in the Works of Wassily Kandinsky 111 Woringer’s conception of abstract expres- as the synthesis of arts and artistic ideas, sion on the most important Kandinsky’s implemented Kandinsky’s ideal of monu- work Über das Geistige in der Kunst (1911) mental composition. has been lately widely discussed in the According to Kandinsky, painting had literature of art studies. to purify its forms as much as materially From many aspects emphasized as the possible, and then it could be merged with aesthetic attitudes by the creators of Blaue other similarly purified arts and thus create Reiter in their theories and practice, the monumental syntheses. In the essay Über most exclusive was the idea of synthesis Bühnen Composition (On Stage Composi- of arts, especially of music and painting, tion) published in the almanac, Kandinsky which incidentally clearly differentiated stated that synthetic art may support and them from another avant-garde group Der strengthen the peculiar sound of one art by Brücke (The Bridge). The artists of Der the identical sound of another art and thus, Blauer Reiter group undoubtedly looked achieve an extremely strong effect. out to Wagner’s Gesamtkunstwerk; however, Kandinsky was fascinated by the sys- their interpretations of the universal work temic nature of musical composition and of art were very liberal. Let us remember analysis and he sought to bestow these prin- that Wagner sought to include all forms of ciples on the visual arts. The form of music art into a single representational art form as art free from the burdens of the external of opera, where each component played its world served as a reference point for Kan- role, but did not lose its identity. Meanwhile dinsky in creating what he himself called Kandinsky as well as Schoenberg and their the theory of painting harmony. According other peers admired the synthesis of arts, to Kandinsky, music, mastering the form, where one art form merged with another. may achieve the results that are inaccessible The attractiveness of synaesthesia lead the to painting. On the other hand, painting creators to the non-representative forms overtakes music by a few details. Music, for of art, including theatre. Kandinsky un- instance, uses the duration of time, whereas dertook this type of art seeking to imple- painting may present the whole message to ment his artistic attitudes. In 1911, in Blaue the viewer instantly. Arnold Schoenberg in Reiter Almanach he published his play Der 1911 wrote to Kandinsky: “When an artist gelbe Klang (The Yellow Sound). This play achieves the moment, where he only de- contained various elements concentrating sires to express the inner events and scenes different senses, but it also constituted in their own rhythms and tones, then the technical obstacles and therefore, the play ‘object of painting’ ceases to belong to the was not staged at the time. However, the recreating eye.” According to Kandinsky, appearance of such works-projects in Schoenberg’s music takes to completely new the almanac expressed the fundamental areas, where musical experience is no longer purpose of the publication: the idea of the acoustic, but purely spiritual. Thus, the mu- synthesis of the branches of art and art of sic of the future starts here. It is noteworthy

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112 TARPDALYKINIAI KULTŪROS TYRIMAI 2017 · T. 5 · Nr. 1 ESTETIKA IR MENO ISTORIJA strong effect on Klee’s emphatically con- important because of its rhythmical and not structive musical ideas of painting. Close only harmonic features and therefore, the communication with Schoenberg and his organisation of form and colour in painting push to creation in painting affected these was perceived as analogous to the rhythms two great coryphaei of modernist art. “A of music; it was also recognized that that painter, who finds no satisfaction in mere all these qualities of arts rise more from representation, however artistic, in his long- intuitive than intellectual sources. The latter ing to express his inner life,” said Kandinsky, tendency was especially pronounced in the influenced by the friend, “cannot but envy creation of Paul Klee, a Swiss artist who was the ease with which music, the most non- briefly related to the Der Blaue Reiter group. material of the arts today, achieves this end. Klee’s theory and art practice is permeated He naturally seeks to apply the methods of by musical analogies and associations and music to his own art. And from this results his profound knowledge of music theory that modern desire for rhythm in painting, provided a strict and accurate foundation for mathematical, abstract construction, for for applying the musical conceptions in repeated notes of colour, for setting colour artistic composition to establish the musi- in motion2.” cality of colours and forms. Kandinsky was certain that plastic The book Concerning the Spiritual in arts would become the art in the abstract Art along with the Bleue Reiter Almanac sense and would eventually achieve the is rightly considered to be one of the most pure painting composition. Borrowing significant and influential documents of the the terminology from the theory of music, 20th c. modernist art3. The ideas of this book Kandinsky imagines the composition as were broadly discussed by Kandinsky’s such to be the paragon of painting. How- peers; besides, a few artists in other Euro- ever, Kandinsky’s relation with the purity of pean cities, for instance, Kazimir Malevich painting or its imagined future absoluteness in Moscow or František Kupka in Paris, is rather controversial. For Kandinsky a were pursuing similar artistic searches. pure line, a pure colour, a pure composition Kandinsky’s book Concerning the Spir- threatens of dogmatic stagnation. However, itual in Art consists of two parts. In the for him this formal purity is just a means first part, he develops the philosophical for achieving the aim: in 1925 he wrote that reflections on art, where he emphasizes he actually wished that the viewer could see what is beyond the painting and would 3 In 1912, an abbreviated version of the book was read as a paper in a conference of artists in St Petersburg. In understand that the forms are just a tool. 1914, it was for the first time translated and published in Music was related to the creation of English. Surprisingly, this Kandinsky’s theoretical work Der Blaue Reiter in many aspects. Due to was not published until 1949. Although Kandinsky’s Bergson’s intuitive ideas music became book had been translated into French by Guillaume Apollinaire at the beginning of 1913, the start of World War I and Kandinsky’s move from Germany to Russia 2 Wassily Kandinsky, Concerning the spiritual in art, postponed the publishing and the final version was not Courier Dover Publications, 1977, p. 20. published before the death of the artist.

The Conception of Synaesthesia in the Works of Wassily Kandinsky 113 the priority of the spiritual origin over the ours, which are not usually accentuated material one. In the second part, Kandinsky associating his painting only with music4. presents the theory of colours, where mul- For Kandinsky colours were exceptional tiple synaesthetic layers are disclosed. The synaesthetic manifestations able to con- original title of the book Über das Geistige centrate and convey the combinations, con- in der Kunst appeals to the German idea nections, entireties of various senses: “The of Geist as a formation of the whole inner expression “scented colours” is frequently world with all its components, which is met with. And finally the sound of colours higher than the appearance of the world. is so definite that it would be hard to find In German the conception Geist refers not anyone who would try to express bright only to the spirit but also to the emotion, yellow in the bass notes,”5 stated Kandinsky intellect, and all aspects of human exist- in the book Concerning the Spiritual in Art. ence that are not purely corporeal. At the These and similar statements are very close beginning of the 20th c., the artists became to the registration of authentic synaesthetic fascinated with this space of inner life and experience today. It may be assumed that aimed at expressing Geist as an entirety, in his theory, Kandinsky could express his not just the external impressions of own synaesthetic experience more freely than emotions. Such focus on the deepening of in the broader creation and thus, give it a the conception was especially initiated by universal scale. Kandinsky and his peers in Munich, Der The tunes of the senses in Kandinsky’s Blauer Reiter group. Der Blaue Reiter and conceptions of colour are very multiple its predecessor Neue Künstlervereinigung and involving the whole spectrum of hu- (New Artists’ Association) expanded the man senses without any clear hierarchal expressions of inner life by new ideas, for distinctions. It seems that in Kandinsky’s instance, primitivism, apocalyptic think- ing, rejection of materialism, which one 4 Just like Goethe Kandinsky classified the colours way or another lead to the pure abstract art. into warm and cold. Warm colours approximate However, the essence of his manifesto yellow and cold ones resemble blue. But Kandinsky was the discussion of spiritual qualities of developed his theory stating that colours have additional qualities. For instance, yellow is colours, which was extremely elaborated expanding and blue is shrinking. Yellow is also by Kandinsky. In the chapter dedicated earthly, ‘jabbing, weighing’. On the other hand, blue for colours, Kandinsky emphasized two is heavenly, a representation of spirituality, a colour fundamental qualities of colours: their of immense plunge into oneself, inviting a person to the infinity and awakening the aspiration of purity relation with musical tonalities and their and supernaturalism. Beside physical effects, colours psychological power. In some aspects his also have spiritual qualities. Musically speaking, dark colour ideas are more relative and closely blue may be compared to deep tones of an organ. related with Wolfgang Goethe’s treatise White is the colour of sublime silence, reminding of pauses in music in many aspects, and black is the about colours Zur Farbenlehre (1810). colour of nothingness, eternal silence. Obviously, Kandinsky has given many 5 Wasily Kandinsky, Concerning the spiritual in art,

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114 TARPDALYKINIAI KULTŪROS TYRIMAI 2017 · T. 5 · Nr. 1 ESTETIKA IR MENO ISTORIJA synaesthetic conceptions of colours the consistent tendency in the dissemination limits of individual senses are eliminated of the phenomenon of synaesthesia at that and a directly experienced colour material- period maintaining that synaesthesia is a ity is created. Kandinsky’s theory of colours universal tool of the synthesis of arts. has a strong foundation of synaesthetic as- In other words, it seems that there is sociations. Kandinsky’s theory endued the no autonomy and trickster chance, as it colours with the anthropomorphic features has been perceived in the latter decades as well – this way it was attempted to ex- of the 21st c. In the aesthetic attitudes of plain their effect on the viewer. Although the beginning of the 20th c., synaesthesia Kandinsky sought to cover his theory with is instrumental, a certain messenger and the commonalities characteristic to Sym- constituent of the new transitions of art, a bolism, he undoubtedly understood that sensory Hermes. Meanwhile in Kandinsky’s colours had special qualities and tried to theory of colours there is a massive sub- highlight them by synaesthetic principles. layer, where a non-referential, unpredict- A peculiar personification of colours able, uncontrollable swarm of synaesthetic is actually characteristic to Kandinsky’s materiality thrives. It creates tension in theory of colours. The artist differentiated Kandinsky’s theory itself, but this tension between the purely physical effect of colour, turns into a rich source of associations which is superficial and transient, and its and protects the origins of abstract paint- psychological effect, naming the latter the ing from dogmatism. Maybe this was the vibration of the soul. Kandinsky was certain reason why later on Donald Kuspit 6, sum- that colours could affect the human body as marizing the abstract painting overly wide- a physical organism: certain colours cause spread in several continents a few decades special associations, which set in motion a later, which had turned into empty decora- chain of emotional vibrations in the body. tive experiments, noted that precisely the Beside the associative powers, colours also loss of authentic assumptions of abstract are a direct means to affect the soul. In the painting: inner necessity, synaesthetic ma- famous affirmation, somewhat reminiscent teriality, musicality, etc., has determined of Baudelair’s aspiration ‘to play an im- the metamorphosis of abstraction into an mense keyboard of the chords of senses’, empty, shell artistic pose, which had no Kandinsky stated: “Colour is the keyboard, relations to the aspirations of Kandinsky the eyes are the hammer, the soul is the and other creators of this aesthetics. In this strings.” Thus, the artist is the hand that criticism of the genesis of Abstractionism makes the soul vibrate by touching the keys a determining factor may be seen: when accordingly with the principle of inner ne- synaesthesia is removed from the assump- cessity. This gesture of manipulation, con- tions of a work of art, regardless of the trolling/creating hand, accentuated by both form it manifests itself in, the work loses Baudelaire and Kandinsky, not only leads to the romanticist and symbolist sources of 6 Donald Kuspit, “Utopian Protest in Early Abstract Art”, the visibility principle, but also indicates a in: Art Journal, Vol. 29, No. 4, Summer, 1970, p. 437.

The Conception of Synaesthesia in the Works of Wassily Kandinsky 115 the ontological volume, as if collapses to Although the musical principle became a superficial repetition of certain clichés. essential and uniting in Kandinsky’s as Therefore, it is obvious that the underlying well as Delaunay’s and Klee’s creation, that vital foundation of Kandinsky’s aesthetic what is united is comprised of a rich fabric theory and artistic practice was comprised of of synaesthetic senses and various matters contradictory synaesthetic conceptions and opened by them. Thus, the musical princi- their rejection as non-essential in the further ple of painting is not soaring in an empty practice of Abstractionism soon distorted intellectual space, but is based on sensory and drained this initially so wide furrow of suggestion, which is intricately intertwined artistic novelty. It means that synaesthesia and forms a thick synaesthetic layer. The vitally assists the artistic novelty7 and if it is musical principle of abstract painting or- eliminated, the new paradigm withers. ganizes the diverse synaesthetic material By this special synaesthetic attitude being one of its aspects and the essential Kandinsky is very close to the symbolists line of composition. Thus, the musical- who sought the autonomy and direct ma- ity of painting is never dissociated from teriality of individual sensory elements8. the harmony of other senses: if the visual sense is subjected to the suggestion of the 7 In 1913, in his Reminiscences Kandinsky wrote that auditory sense, it inevitably assumes other the primary aim of his book Concerning the Spiritual in Art as well as Bleue Reiter Almanac was to awaken substantiate the presumptions of his aesthetic ideas the ability to experience spirituality in material and more consistently. Meanwhile limiting by the above abstract phenomena, which would be irreplaceable work as a peculiar, hermetic case of synaesthetic in the future when enabling a limitless variety of creation focused on conveying a single sensory experiences. manifestation, a painting representation of a 8 Unique and so far not researched Kandinsky’s separate sensory element, drawing it closer to the work Der unbekannten Stimme (For an Unknown vocal suggestions of Munch’s paintings Scream and Voice) painted in 1916 and stored in Musee National Voice. In Kandinsky’s case we see how the abstract d‘Art Moderne, Georges Pompidou Centre of paradigm of art enables conveying this sensory contemporary art in Paris. In this noncanonical work event by completely different ‘iconography’. It the creation of Kandinsky opens up for the category should be noted that voice visualisation by the of authentic synaesthesia, which as a difference, methods of abstract painting is popular among difference, was enabled by the spacious dimension postmodernist artists attributing themselves to of postmodern aesthetics. Therefore, we should clearly articulated tendencies of synaesthetic dare not to enclose Kandinsky’s ideas in a local creation. One of such painters known in this field historical/geographical continuum of the origins of shaped by post-institutional fragmentations of art is Modernism, but see the far-reaching implications Philipa Stanton, who paints the voices of people in of his aspirations. Lately it has been attempted to an abstract manner. Moreover, colour suggestions reveal Klee’s creation exactly the same way for the of a human voice are also found in Nabokov’s novel discourse of postmodern aesthetics as a unique and Lolita distinguished by a repertoire of synaesthetic potential formation. One of the exclusive works in metaphors. Interestingly, Kandinsky in his abstract Kandinsky’s creative biography should not remain a creation embraced not only programme tasks raised marginalia of the established modernist canon, but by his own theories, but also registered authentic should allow a clearer determination of authentic or at least imaginary synaesthetic experiences as manifestations of the phenomenon of synaesthesia multiple, performative congestions of different

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116 TARPDALYKINIAI KULTŪROS TYRIMAI 2017 · T. 5 · Nr. 1 ESTETIKA IR MENO ISTORIJA senses creating the harmonious and natural in Kandinsky’s aesthetic attitudes and give entirety. The sensory dome of the work of them an undeniable synaesthetic contour art remains consistently synaesthetic. Be- in terms of all senses, the whole sensorium. sides, most likely this dimension was clearly Between 1909 and 1913 Kandinsky devel- perceived by the futurists, who introduced oped his abstract style partially referring to the painting of not only music, but also of the principles of musical analogy. Seeking to smells and tastes into the aspirations of the express the internal musical sound in paint- new painting. ing abstractions, he formed three specific Transition to abstract painting was ways of creative expression: impression, a logical outcome of the search of spir- improvisation, and composition, defin- ituality in art. In Kandinsky’s paintings ing each of them by the level of conveyed the elements of reality lazily remained spiritual intensity. His impressions did not for a long time, although the intellectual actually mean the same as those of the and spiritual attitudes forced the artist to French impressionists, but rather direct search for an objectless way of expression. impressions of external reality conveyed in Coping with abstract identities seen in his the linear-painting form. In this sense, they memoirs testify the aspiration for a pure may also be considered to be the represen- abstract creation overwhelming the whole tations of reality, though more of the inner personality of Kandinsky. An interesting one than of the external one. Meanwhile the detail is that when seeing his own or other improvisations were already essentially un- artists’ works under unusual circumstances conscious, spontaneous, immaterial expres- and experiencing them as completely ob- sions of inner phenomena. Ultimately, the jectless and depicting an unrecognizable compositions meant an even higher level of reality, Kandinsky used to experience it as dissociation from the direct visible reality: the manifestations of extraordinary artistic through them Kandinsky conveyed the ex- beauty. The mutual interaction of intellec- pressive forms shaped within him through tual searches caused by such experiences time. Therefore, Composition is the most forced Kandinsky to look for the method complex form of creative expression. It en- to convey these experiences in painting. compasses the expression of slowly shaped Musical analogy and diverse synaesthetic inner sense, which has been maturing for treatment of colours and composition a long time. In the composition, the mind, became the components of this consistent conscious, and the aim play the major role9. aspiration. Kandinsky’s aesthetic attitudes According to Kandinsky, all artistic stated in his texts clearly show the formation content is identical, regardless of the artistic­ of a certain synaesthetic foundation, which means of expression. Music, dance rhythm is later changed, shaped, and organised by the principle of musicality of painting based 9 By 1914 Kandinsky had painted 35 improvisations. Between 1910 and 1939 Kandinsky was painting ten on profound assumptions. The entirety and large compositions. Composition IV, where familiar unity of sensory elements as well as their di- object may be found, marks the transitional stage on visibility, fluidity, lability are clearly reflected the long path to pure abstract painting.

The Conception of Synaesthesia in the Works of Wassily Kandinsky 117 and line rise from the same source of expres- aspects. The dependence of colours on the sion and therefore, one may be translated forms as explained by Kandinsky testifies into another. “This borrowing of method by the inseparability of certain synaesthetic one art from another, can only be truly suc- qualities. It may be stated that this way cessful when the application of the borrowed Kandinsky has unintentionally introduced methods is not superficial but fundamental. the synaesthetic constants into his theory of One art must learn first how another uses colours. However, it was an immanent, self- its methods, so that the methods may after- substantiating system seeking to become a wards be applied to the borrower’s art from universal foundation of abstract painting. In the beginning, and suitably.10” case of spiritually close Klee distinguished Kandinsky’s conception of art based on by exclusive sense of musicality and syn- synaesthesia expresses the unique iden- aesthesia, his created plastic system sought tity of all arts, their unanimous structure, the perfect analogy with mathematical and which may appear in various combinations physical principles of music. and variations of different arts11. Kandinsky was convinced that in ab- Conclusions stract painting, the elements must comply with strict rules. They are not affected by the Thus, the essence of Kandinsky’s abstract artist’s will, because there are laws that rise painting and the underpinning aesthetic sys- from the composition elements themselves tem was the aspiration to distinguish the fun- and their characteristic energy. The refined damental plastic, musical, multiple sensory system of plastic arts was essentially based elements and to create a universal, flexible, on autonomous principles, encompassing performative base, from which the infinite the variations of the dispersion of painting variations of the system could be derived. and musical elements and diverse sensory The main aspect of this project was creating a universal, dynamic, plastic system uniting 10 Wasily Kandinsky, Concerning the spiritual in art, all arts, the starting point of which was the Courier Dover Publications, 1977, p. 19. synaesthetic power of arts and senses. 11 Kandinsky’s book Punkt und Linie zu Fläche (Point and Only anticipating the unrivalled uni- Line to Plane) (1926) was an organic continuation of his ideas expressed in Concerning the Spiritual in Art. The versality of synaesthesia, i.e. the unity of all subtitle of Kandinsky’s second work “Contribution to senses and arts, could Kandinsky have devel- the Analysis of the Pictorial Elements” testifies that a oped his aesthetic and constructive attitudes, systemic analysis of the main pictorial elements – point, respectively accentuating one or another line, and plane – is presented. Kandinsky sought to compile a manual of pictorial elements, which would aspect. Therefore,in Kandinsky’s aesthetic provide the basis for the imaginary grammar of art, system, the synaesthesia hardly appears as revealing inner laws, according to which the process the central emphasizes object or a purposeful of painting should go. By this attitude he is close to aspiration, but rather as a natural prerequisite Klee, who sought to create the fundamental principles for the adequate functioning of this system. of painting equivalent to the ones in music. Klee’s Pedagogical Sketchbook was published in 1925 and In other words, synaesthesia was the modus

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References Cheetham A. Mark, in art, Courier Dover Art Journal, Vol. 29, The Rhetoric of Purity. Publications, 1977. No. 4, Summer, 1970, Albright Daniel, Essentialist Theory and p. 437–442. Untwisting the Serpent. the Advent of Abstract Kandinsky Wassily, Modernism in Music, Painting, Cambridge, Lindsay C. Kenneth, Osborne Harold, Literature, and Other New York, Port Chester, Vergo Peter, Kandinsky, Abstraction and Artifice Arts, Chicago, London: Melbourne, Sydney: complete writings on art, in Twentieth – Century The University of Chi- Cambridge University Da Capo Press, 1994. Art, Oxford: Claredon cago Press, 2000. Press, 1991. Press, 1979. Kandinsky Wassily, Anennkov Georges, Campen van Cretien, Marc Franz, Lankheit Roskill Mark, Klee, Kan- “Les temps héroiques. The Hidden Sense: Klaus, The Blaue dinsky, and the Thought Les débuts de l’art Synesthesia in Art and Reiter almanac, MFA of Their Time: A Critical abstrait en Russie”, in: Science, The MIT Press, Publications, Kaliforinia Perspective, Urbana & Cimaise, 1953, Nr. 2. 2010. University Press, 2005. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1992. Boudinet Gilles, Des Kagan Andrew, Paul Kandisnky Wassily, arts et des idées au XXe Klee. Art & Music, Point and line to plane, Rosset Clément, siècle. Musique, peinture, Ithaca and London: Courier Dover Publica- L’esthétique de Schopen- philosophie, scioences Cornell University tions, 1947. hauer, Paris: Presses humaines et intermez- Press, 1983. Universitaires de zos poétiques: frag- Kuspit Donald, France, 1969. ments croisés…, Paris: Wasily Kandinsky, “Utopian Protest in L’Harmattan, 2000. Concerning the spiritual Early Abstract Art”, in:

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