‘CENTENARY AND IMPACT OF KANDINSKY’S BOOK ‘UBER DAS GEISTIGE IN DER KUNST ’

Symposium, University Leiden, 20-­21 September 2012



Kandinsky published his groundbreaking book ‘On the spiritual in Art’ a century ago.
It was reprinted twice in the same year, 1912, whilst English and Russian translation appeared two years later.
After translations in Italian and French in the 1940s and the fourth German edition in 1952, the book became immensely popular. Large exhibitions were organised internationally where the title of Kandinsky’s book figured in the exhibition titles.
Perhaps the most significant exhibition took place in 1986-­‐87 in Los Angeles, Chicago and The Hague.

This symposium examines Kandinsky’s book, its aim, and its impact on art, art history and the museum world. Kandinsky-­‐specialist, Dr. Jelena Fontaine-­‐Hahl will address the Russian version, a 1904 draft for ‘Uber das Geistige in der Kunst’ and another 1912 Kandinsky publication.

Students, scholars and practitioners in art, history of art, cultural studies and museum studies and others interested in the theme are welcome!

Price of the symposium: 100 euros. To register, please fill out the form on http://www.onderwijs.leidenuniv.nl/hovo/nieuws/kandinsky.html. Non-­‐natives may send an e-­‐mail to hovo@sea.leidenuniv.nl.