Suprematism: 34 Drawings is an “appeal on behalf of aesthetics” by Kazimir Malevich, an early pioneer of geometric abstract art who is best known as one of the central figures of the Suprematist Movement. Like other Suprematist works, this book emphasizes geometric forms–rendered simply in a limited range of colors–as an art in and of itself, rather than the depiction of objects or meanings. Centered on each page is a black and white drawing that explores graphic composition through the use of strong lines, stark contrast, and strategically placed, intersecting lines and shapes.
The book was originally published in 1920 by El Lissitzky’s Graphic Arts Atelier. Very few copies of the original lithographs remain. This edition of the work is a facsimile of one of the rare surviving copies, featuring the original work along with an introductory essay by J.C. Marcadé and an English translation of Malevich’s statement on the work, which also functions as a Suprematist manifesto.