The Vortex

This vibrant, colourful work owes much to the Vorticist aesthetic, indicating that its creator was either a member of the English art movement, or was deeply influenced by its visuals. The vibrant blues, pinks, greens and yellows all juxtapose one another and stand out firmly against a white and black background, providing a painting that is simultaneously fragmented and yet cohesive, with each geometric shape fitting perfectly with another.

Vorticism was an early 20th century English art movement influenced by Italian Futurism and Cubism, recognisable for its angular lines and bold colouration. This abstract movement, credited as the first of its kind in Britain, sought to express the dynamism and energy of a rapidly modernising world. The movement was founded in 1914, but was unfortunately short-lived - the outbreak of war in Europe quickly took the lives of many Vorticist artists, and those who returned after the war no longer wished to celebrate the industry and modernism that contributed heavily to the harrowing conflict.

In recent years, Vorticism has been receiving much more of an appreciation. It is heralded as the first British avant-garde movement, and is now seen as remarkably influential on the growth of abstract and modern art in Britain after the Second World War.