New House in the Suburbs
Paul Klee
PAUL KLEE, 1924. GOUACHE ON CANVAS.
When the spirit of rebellion and revolution is in you, the medium to express it becomes secondary. Encouraged by his parents to become a musician, Paul Klee was drawn to the traditional compositions of the 18th century and couldn’t find meaning or the space for radical change in modern music. So, despite a natural talent and expectations, Klee abandoned the practice of music in favour of visual arts where he felt free to express his yearnings for revolution. The decision proved fruitful, and a near forty year career that took Klee across the word resulted in works and writings that radically changed the direction of modern art. A teacher at the Bauhaus, alongside his great friend Wassily Kandinsky, Klee’s images are studies of colour theory, underpinned by a dry wit. It was through a lack of natural understanding of colour but skill as a draftsman that drove Klee to find a new theory of colour, one that would become the standard understanding for generations to come.