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Do You ‘Woogi’?

Piet Mondrian (born March 7, 1872) was a Dutch painter who played a pioneering role in bringing art forms, such as ‘Neo-Plasticism’ and ‘Cubism,’ into limelight. His experimentation with geometric figures and ‘Abstract’ drawing has always made his paintings extraordinary and ingenious in style. “Broadway Boogie Woogie,” painted in 1943, is one such Piet’s work endorsing his mastery.

Piet Mondrian had adopted ‘Neo-Plasticism’ or also called ‘The Style’ (Dutch: De Stijl), where a harmony was achieved among the geometric shapes an artist laid down on a canvas. In this form of painting, Mondrian always tried to stick to the bare minimum to portray his viewpoint with the means of only few primary colors, such as red, blue, yellow, black and white. He would draw only straight vertical brushstrokes and focused on the infinite spaces lying between two parallel lines. Among the many masterpieces that Mondrian created, his final completed painting titled “Broadway Boogie Woogie” fetched him much adulation and fame, landing him at the pinnacle of success.

After World War II, Mondrian came to New York and instantly fell in love with the vibrant spirit of the city. He started living there from 1940. The architecture and the street scenes of New York deeply influenced him. The rhythmic music of the city, such as Jazz and Broadway also impressed Mondrian immensely. Inspired, Piet rendered all these onto the canvas. In “Broadway Boogie Woogie,” he divided the canvas into several small units of squares, each depicting an essential feature of the New York City. He repeated these squares as a repetition of the traffic, buzzing lights, skyscrapers, and the overall essence of the city life.

Mondrian used minimal colors, with only yellow, blue, and red being dominant on the canvas. He used straight and vertical brushstrokes, echoing a harmonious scene of geometric shapes onto the canvas. He thereby created an irregular checkerboard of yellow color, in repeated format, to capture the restless impatience of the city. He used yellow color to portray the popular New York cabs. Similarly, he created the painting layer by layer to accomplish the depiction of the city with its integral swing.

“Broadway Boogie Woogie” is now exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art in the New York City. After creating this masterpiece, Mondrian wanted to paint its sequel titled Victory Boogie Woogie. Due to his sudden demise however, due to pneumonia, Mondrian could not finish it. “Broadway Boogie Woogie” captures the luminosity, life, and the fervor of the New York City. Mondrian’s congruity in the repeated geometric shapes brings about a certain spiritual harmony. His clear manifestation of the bustling New York life onto the canvas makes “Broadway Boogie Woogie” even more endearing and timeless to all the art lovers.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art . Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.Labedzki-Art.com Annette has bonus offers on her work only. Buy 3 small paintings of any size (maximum size 11×17 inches) and receive 3 small paintings of your choice for free (maximum size 11×17 inches) SHIPPING IS FREE Buy one large painting (minimum size 18×24 inches) receive 5 small paintings of your choice (maximum size 11×17 inches) FOR FREE. SHIPPING IS FREE. Please feel free to subscribe to her newsletter at http://www.Labedzki-Art.com