Suprematist drawing

In the mid-1910s, as Kazimir Malevich was formulating his theory of Suprematism, which advocated for the absolute separation of the object from content and emphasized geometric shapes and colours as the primary elements of art, Ivan Kliun was an enthusiastic supporter and member of the Suprematist movement. During his early exploration of Suprematism, he also delved into the investigation of the plastic possibilities of geometric shapes placed against a white background. Rectangles, triangles, circles, and rhombuses in red, yellow, and black were positioned along horizontal, vertical, or diagonal axes, dividing the space and creating rhythmic movements in various directions. However, Kliun soon moved away from the strict principles formulated by Malevich and developed his own interpretation of Suprematism and non-objective art. He focused on the relationship between form, colour, and light. Kliun created a series of artworks that combined geometric shapes and colours, with spherical forms predominating. The colour was used to convey the impression of different distances between geometric shapes and their approach or withdrawal from the viewer.