ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES - KASIMIR MALEVICH

Malevich, Casimir or Kasimir 1878–1935, Russian painter. Malevich worked first in a style related to fauvism and then as a cubist before he founded suprematism in 1913. He created nonobjective paintings composed of bare geometric forms—often just a single square on the flatly painted surface. Characteristic is his famous White on White (Mus. of Modern Art, New York City). His written theories were published in Germany in 1928 as The Non-Objective World (tr. 1959). His controversial work was influential in the development of abstract art. Officially praised after the 1917 revolution, from about 1930 on his work was condemned by Russia's Stalinist regime.

Used with permission. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright © 2001 Columbia University Press