Key Milestones in Wassily Kandinsky's Journey as an Abstract Art Pioneer

Wassily Kandinsky, born in Moscow in 1866, evolved from early studies in law to become a foundational figure in abstract art. His career was marked by pivotal moments: a synesthetic experience at a Wagner opera in 1896, co-founding the Phalanx artists' society in 1901, and establishing the NKVM in Munich in 1909. In 1911, he co-founded the Der Blaue Reiter group and published his influential text 'On the Spiritual in Art.' He taught at the Bauhaus in Weimar from 1922, developing his theories on color and form, and published 'Point and Line to Plane' in 1926. Forced into exile by the Nazi regime in 1933, he settled in Neuilly-sur-Seine, where his work was later condemned as 'degenerate art' in 1937. Kandinsky died in 1944, leaving a legacy that continues to influence contemporary art. An exhibition titled 'Kandinsky face aux images' is scheduled from February 20 to June 14, 2026, at LaM in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, co-organized with the Centre Pompidou.