Improvisation 28 (Second Version) by Wassily Kandinsky

Improvisation 28 (Second Version) dates from 1912 and continued the artist's experimentation through a series of numbered artworks that expanded on his sub-conscious with a wild use of form and colour.

The first way in which this painting stands out is the greater use of dark contrast, with thicker lines that are more deliberate and aggressive than in some of his other Improvisation series. That said, the palette is very familiar, with blues, reds, yellows and purples. These colours were not chosen at random, but the carefully considered approach to complementing colours together. Kandinsky would study this element of art in great detail, and became highly skilled in putting together the right tones in the right order. He was also here attempting to create a visual form of music within art, something that several notable artists have attempted to do in the 20th century. Generally, this leads to wavy lines and abstract shapes, and Kandinsky does much the same here.

Improvisation 28 (zweite Fassung), to give the painting it's original German title, is just over a metre and a half wide, and a metre tall. Kandinsky liked his abstract scenes to be upon fairly large canvases and sometimes went even bigger than this. He liked to have as much room as possible in order to express himself, and reduce the restrictions on his creativity as much as possible. The painting features two clear contrasts, one with paradise, one with global madness, though this takes some time to understand. We find a couple together on the right, along with a sun and other positive elements. To the left are boats, waves and other chaotic symbols.

The Guggenheim's collection is extraordinary and serves Kandinsky particularly well. Indeed, some of his most famous and accomplished artworks can be found here, making it an essential location for those interested in the work of this artist. They also display work from a number of notable related artists, including over 50 items from the career of Swiss painter, Paul Klee. You will also discover the likes of Oskar Kokoschka and Joan Miro here as well. The collectors behind this museum have always been at the forefront of the modern art scenes for many decades, and so were well placed to pick up paintings such as this whilst some of these great names were still establishing their own reputations or creating an established legacy. The impressive venue can be found on Fifth Avenue in New York, USA.