Kasimir Malevich’s Self-Portrait in Two Dimensions is a painting that embodies the principles of Suprematism, which was pioneered by Malevich himself. Completed in 1915, it features basic geometric shapes and lines on a white background. This artwork is considered an example of “new realism” where meaning is derived from pure form alone.
Malevich believed that previous art movements like Cubism had not gone far enough in their abstraction of reality from recognizable forms. He sought to push this idea further with Suprematism, which he divided into three phases- black, color, and white. The painting signifies the third phase characterized by the use of white as the dominant color.
The painting epitomizes Malevich’s theoretical principles of Suprematism through its minimalistic approach to form and color. It represents his idea that art should exist independently from any other cultural influence or representation but rather on its own as an expression of pure feeling.
