Alexei Jawlensky

Alexei Jawlensky is a Russian expressionist artist who belongs to the Blue Four in the early 20th century. His works redefined modern art with a new philosophy that rejected the idea of object reality. He was looking at his inner reaction for the subject matter and he was also influenced by other sources than traditional like non-western art and folk art. His works represent a highly emotional and spiritual image composed of distorted forms and non-naturalistic colors. I really like his “Meditation” series. Through out his “Meditation” Series, Jawlensky just repeatedly painted a human face. He said, “ I am not so much searching for new forms, but I want to go deeper and not to progress in breadth but in depth.” He is searching for his soul in a way of speaking. His human face progressed from a recognized human face to a very objective geometric face with just the lines for two eyes and frame of the face. By painted a human face over and over again, he wants to know what lies beneath in his heart; and, he also want to quench the thirst of surety, the surety of himself. Like the French philosopher Rene Descartes said, "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am.") Jawlensky is searching who he is, what he is, and how he is through his paintings.