Mondrian’s abstraction: chrysalis or colony? A psychoanalytic and feminist reading

Abstract

This essay attempts to interrogate the notion of the female as ‘other’ in the abstract compositions of early twentieth century Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, notions also addressed in his writings. The existing (Freudian and post-Freudian) psychoanalytical reading of Mondrian’s abstract compositions by critic Donald Kuspit, interprets Mondrian’s work as sublimation, relating to the id, ego and super-ego aspects of the artist’s psyche. Kuspit’s reading of Mondrian’s abstract compositions as a form of sublimation, posits the art work as heroic personal and social redemption. In response to such a reading, feminist critique (specifically feminist theorist Luce Irigaray’s third wave feminist discourse around the notion of the ‘female as other’) is used to dismantle Kuspit’s model, and to read Mondrian’s abstract works as well as his writings from an alternative (feminist) perspective.

Hierdie skryfstuk behels ’n poging om ‘n beskouing wat beskryf kan word as die ‘vroulike as die ander’ te ondersoek soos wat dit aangetref word in vroëe twintigste eeuse Nederlandse skilder Piet Mondrian se abstrakte komposisies, sowel as in sy skrywe. Bestaande Freudiaanse en post-Freudiaanse psigoanalitiese interpretasies van Mondrian se abstrakte komposisies, soos aangetref in die analise van kuns kritikus Donald Kuspit, word ondesoek. Kuspit interpreteer Mondrian se komposisies as ’n vorm van sublimasie soos wat dit herlei na die id, ego en super-ego aspekte van die kunstenaar se psige. In terme van Kuspit se interpretasie kan Mondrian se pogings as heldadige persoonlikke en sosiale oorwinning beskou word. In reaksie op laasgenoemde interpretasie, word feministiese konsepte (spesifiek soos wat aangetref kan word in die sogenaamde ‘derde golf’ feminisme van Luce Irigaray) ingespan om Kuspit se model te ontleed en ’n alternatiewe (feministiese) interpretasie van Mondrian se kuns en idees te bereik.