Luminism: Synthetic Light Development

Luminism: Synthetic Light Development. 1923. Oil on canvas. 62.4 x 47. K. Redko, excited by the achievements of science, writes in 1921: "I have not painted for half a year now. I am concerned with the material achievements of science [...] The time has come for social issues and methods, their application in life, where physics, engineering, chemistry dominate - everyone talks about Einstein's "theory of relativity", for determining the exact weight of the atom, invented by E. Reherford, and to us, in Russia, about the last invention - the radio [...] New scientific hypotheses are invented, which are heard in physics and practical science lectures". (Diary of K. Redko, February, 1917). The artist is quite interested in the nature of electricity and optical phenomena, as well as in the laws of energy, which he considers fundamental. The energy of light, dynamic and electrical energy, are the subjects of his painting and design compositions. Following his theory of "Electric Organism", K. Redko during the years 1922-23 creates a large series of paintings and drawings: Dynamite, Speed, Dynamics of form and color, etc. In these compositions, K. Redko, like Plaxin in his work Planetikos, try to provide a pictorial representational solution for abstract and technical phenomena. In such works, undoubtedly, the element of fiction is present: without approaching reality, at the same time they leave the borders of the purely formalistic experiment. Cosmitism.