MALEVICH BETWEEN TWO WARS

by Mateja Gaber

This painting by Irwin is made up of three - or, counting the frame, four ready-made art pieces. Its content is split into three units: a female in the background, two male figures in the front, and Malevich's cross in between them. Even though each of these units is presented in relatively the same size, their positioning constitutes the chronological order of what each unit represents, while at the same time the male figures in the front are placed in the center and closer to the observer.

The female in the background, with her judgemental yet passive look, symbolizes the period of the First World War, which has already passed. She is painted in soft and warm colours; her eyes have seen and experienced disaster, and she is aware of the fact that another disaster is inevitable.

The two golden male figures are the signals of this new era and, with it, the forthcoming war. Their only attire is a sword; the historical symbol of conquest. Although the figures lack feelings, they radiate infinite power, and their athletic posture evidences bravery and honour. These are qualities that characterized ancient Germanic warriors and which later became the founding elements of the ethos of Germanic knights. They stand above and before all and everyone. They look into the future, which they themselves will help to shape. Their eyes are the opposite of the woman's eyes, which are emotional and appear to be uncertain about what they will see.

The element connecting these two opposing figures is Malevich's cross, which symbolizes the period of time between the World Wars, during which the Russian artist focused his work on figures in border-less space, a style known as suprematism. The red-white cross, which can be found anywhere in the space of Malevich's work and which due to its nature does not have a frame, is limited and trapped in a massive black frame, together with the other figures in Irwin's work. The strengthened corners of the black frame are illustrated with miners with lamps.